It Could Be You
by StalkerDex
Summary: In the process of pursuing Stan's girlfriend, Wendy, Craig loses his family in a tragic car accident only to learn that his real father is Randy Marsh. Craig/Wendy. Stan/Wendy.
1. Chapter 1

It Could Be You

Chapter 1 - Ditch

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: I will still be working diligently on my other story BUT I need a little break from it so I'm starting this one to relieve the stress of it all! Now, I know Craig's mom isn't actually named but I've seen various sources online suggesting it may be Diane so I'm going to go ahead and go with that.)

Loud rock and roll music blared from Craig Tucker's truck as he drove at what felt like the speed of light to Wendy Testaburger. She hadn't wanted to go with him but, well, there was just something about him. He was so goddamn charming he could practically get anything he wanted if he set his mind to it. He was almost as convincing as that asshole Cartman; almost. However, the key difference between the two of them was that he was dark, mysterious and admittedly sexy.

"Can you slow down!" she demanded, her heart pounding heavily with denied excitement.

Craig puffed on his cigarette carelessly, his piecey raven black hair blowing about in the wind. He didn't say a word, rather, he stepped on the gas pedal even harder, causing Wendy's petite body to slam back into her seat. Her heart started to pound harder as her breathing became erratic; she was frightened.

"Jesus Craig! Slow the fuck down!" she demanded, finding herself in utter disbelief that she'd allowed herself to be in this situation in the first place.

At the shrill and incredibly irritating threat of Wendy's voice Craig immediately slammed on the breaks, causing his car to squeal and start to spin out violently.

"Fuck!" Wendy screamed, slamming her eyes shut and grabbing onto the door handle, struggling to keep her small frame from flying across the car.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion for the both of them as the car spun around a few times, each of them experiencing very different emotions. Wendy was, of course, terrified as the bright reflections of headlights shined towards her from the snow and trees around them. Craig, on the other hand, felt his heart begin to race as the overwhelming excitement of possible death overcame him, his cigarette dropping from his hand onto the floor. His face appeared to be in a state of absolute thrill for several seconds. However, for whatever reason, he suddenly remembered he had precious cargo beside him, causing him to somewhat panic and struggle to regain control of the erratic vehicle.

"CRAIG!" Wendy screamed, grabbing his leg out of panic as he jerked the wheel causing the car to run off of the road and slam into a snow filled ditch. Both of their necks snapped forwards at the sudden impact, Wendy's head actually hitting the dashboard as her seatbelt failed to restrain her.

"Oh fuck…" Craig suddenly said having witnessed it.

She immediately started to wail as she put her hand to her head, blood immediately flowing from her forehead onto her trembling hands.

"Shit," Craig continued to mutter as he unbuckled himself and lifted up his cup holder, sliding himself into the hidden middle seat as he quickly slammed his fist into the radio, turning it off.

"Fuck are you okay?" he asked as he hurriedly touched her arms, urging her to show him the injury.

Wendy continued to cry and shake uncontrollably, still in shock and horror at the accident they'd just endured. However, as Craig pried at her arms and hands she reluctantly allowed him to gently remove them and expose the injury.

"Shit…" he mumbled again as he quickly opened his glove box, locating a small package of tissues. He opened it up and pulled a handful out before softly brushing some of Wendy's matted black hair out of her face and dabbing the injury with the tissue. Tears were still flowing down her beautiful face as she continued to cry, though she'd calmed herself somewhat.

"Fuck…are you okay? Seriously, Wendy…I'm sorry…" he rambled, genuinely regretting having put her in that situation. He did that rather often when he was alone or even occasionally when he was with Clyde, but he'd never done something like then when he'd had a girl with him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you! Why would you do that!" she demanded, though not bothering to push him away. She figured he at least could assess her injury after that whole episode.

"I…I don't know. I'm sorry, Wendy, really…" he apologized as he continued to dab her head carefully. He didn't want to hurt her.

"God…I don't even know why I came out here with you! I don't even like you!" she continued, suddenly feeling really pissed towards him.

Craig didn't bother to acknowledge her rather snide comment as he finished dabbing the injury, pulling the tissues back to see how bad the injury was. Her light, almost amethyst colored eyes scanned Craig's face, waiting to hear his analysis.

"Is it bad?" she asked, suddenly having quieted and calmed down significantly.

"No…it's not too bad…just a small scratch. Way more blood than actual damage," he said as he smirked at her charmingly.

She let out a small sigh, allowing her shoulders to drop a bit as she looked towards her companion, somewhat defeated.

"I'm sorry…" he said once more, wadding up the tissues and placing them back into the glove box along with the clean ones.

"Ew…are you seriously going to keep those there?"

"Well…yeah. I guess. I dunno. Why?"

Wendy rolled her eyes before looking towards him again.

"Why did you ask me out tonight?" she asked, gathering her wild hair behind her head and sliding a ponytail holder off of her wrist and into her hair, pulling it tight.

Craig leaned into the seat a bit, letting out a small sigh as his adrenaline started to wear off.

"I dunno. I just wanted to hang out with you."

Wendy tilted her head a bit, looking him over skeptically as she spoke, "you know I'm with Stan, Craig."

"Yeah, I know," he said, shrugging it off and averting his eyes to his lap.

As Wendy looked him over she couldn't help but notice the fact that his nonchalant attitude was getting to her. He was so goddamn smug; sitting there acting like he didn't care whether he had her or not; wearing that stupid black leather jacket, dark blue, skin tight shirt, skinny jeans and black chucks. He was such a dick.

"I see you checkin' me out, Testaburger," he teased as he smirked arrogantly towards her, pulling his pack of cigs from his jacket and lighting one up.

"I see you checking me out too, Tucker," she retorted.

He chuckled a bit as he puffed on his cigarette, his light blue eyes making themselves obvious as he looked her body up and down lustfully. She couldn't help but blush as she felt him observing her, noting that she probably shouldn't have gone with the small black tank top and skinny jeans. She was only feeding the fire and it was a dangerous one.

"Yeah, well…it's kind of hard not to. You're the hottest girl at school," he replied, returning his gaze to her face, "I never understood what you're doing with that douche bag Stan. You're too good for him."

Wendy rolled her eyes before leaning forward and holding her hand out.

"Give me a hit of that."

Craig raised his eyebrows, smiling at her with that boyish grin of his.

"You know this is, like…unhealthy…have you ever even smoked?"

"Yes, dumbass, I know!" she retorted, leaning forward and snatching it from his hand, taking a sizeable drag from it before leaning backwards and tilting her head, slowly exhaling.

Craig nodded at her, thoroughly impressed.

"Okay, okay…fair enough."

She smirked at him as she lifted her legs to her chest and wrapped her free arm around it.

"What's your problem with Stan, anyway?"

"Pffffttt…a better question is what _isn't _my problem with Stan."

"Oh stop it," Wendy warned, taking another drag of the cigarette before handing it outwards.

Craig leaned forward and took it from her, quickly reaching out his free hand and grabbing hold of hers. She scoffed at him before jerking her hand away from him and leaning backwards again, folding her arms across her chest.

"Hands off, Tucker."

Craig sighed before leaning into his seat and killing off the cigarette. Wendy watched curiously as he lifted the bottom of his jeans up, exposing a small, circular, reddened area of skin.

"Jesus…what's that from? It looks pretty bad."

Craig looked towards her with those crystal blue eyes of his before smirking, blowing the smoke out of his mouth and pressing the still lit cigarette to the reddened area.

"Oh my god…you're stupid. Why would you do that?" Wendy asked, genuinely appalled.

Craig shrugged, "I dunno. I kinda like it."

Wendy shook her head, widening her eyes in exasperation, "you're kind of strange, aren't you?"

Craig smiled and nodded, "yeah. I guess so."

A long moment of silence passed between them before Wendy let out a sigh and leaned forward, allowing herself to sit Indian Style.

"So…seriously, Craig. What's the deal? Why are we out here?"

Craig looked her over for a second before leaning forward and touching his hand to her head once more, seemingly examining the wound from earlier. However, as his fingers brushed her forehead he gently slid them down her face and stopped as he softly placed the rest of his hand to her cheek. She blinked at him with those lavender eyes of hers, seeming to be intrigued.

"I like you, that's why."

"No you don't. You just don't like Stan so you're trying to mess with him through me."

Craig tilted his head, somewhat acknowledging the truth to her statement.

"Yeah, okay…fair enough. But you have to admit, you wouldn't have come out here if you weren't a little interested," he said as he slid his hand downwards, trailing her collarbone with his fingers.

"Fair enough…" she said quietly, her breathing becoming shallow, "but I won't cheat on Stan, no matter how hard you try."

Craig smirked at her as he removed his hand from her collarbone and placed both of his hands on her hips, leaning himself closer.

"What if you don't do anything?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, genuinely confused amidst the new territory.

"You know…like…I could get you off. You don't have to do anything."

"Fuck off, Craig. Jesus…aren't you with Bebe?" she said as she pushed him away once more. He complied, leaning against the seat again. She was a feisty one.

"There's a big difference between _with _and banging."

"Ugh…you're so gross," she said, turning her attention out the window, "so can we get the car out of here, then?"

Craig let out a sigh as he also looked out the front window. He hoped to Christ he could get out of there. His father would be none-to-thrilled if he found out about this little debacle.

"I dunno…let me see," he said, suddenly very focused on getting the car out. He really had no desire to get busted.

Wendy immediately sat forward and buckled herself in, not wanting to be unbuckled if Craig were to drive. Clearly he was insane.

Craig also buckled up before turning his keys and starting the car.

"Well…that's a good sign," he said, acknowledging the fact that it'd started.

Wendy nodded in agreement, watching as he put the truck in reverse. She mentally crossed her fingers, not wanting to be stuck in the snow with this nutcase all night. Much to the relief of them both, the small truck immediately made it's way out of the ditch and back to the road.

Wendy let out a sigh of relief before adjusting herself in the seat, wanting to get more comfortable. Craig was very careful to obey the speed limits after scaring the hell out of Wendy, much to her relief. It wasn't long before he reached her house, pulling into her driveway quietly so as not to disturb her family; it was pretty late.

As he pulled up he put the car in park, smiling warmly at her.

"You have a good night, Wendy. And if you ever need that sweet pussy of yours licked you give me a call, alright?"

Wendy rolled her eyes before opening her door. However, before she got out she paused, looking curiously towards Craig. He stared at her blankly, not sure what she was doing.

"Fuck it," she said, exasperated, as she scooted towards him and planted a somewhat flirtatious kiss on his cheek.

He wanted more, but he could tell he was going to have to take it easy with her so he simply smirked at her before watching her hop out of the car and bounce off towards her house.

Jesus. She was a pistol.


	2. Chapter 2

It Could Be You

Chapter 2 –

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews . I VERY rarely write het fics but I think it's good to change things up every now and again. Thank you for the compliment on the way I write Wendy! I appreciate it!)

Craig smoked his cigarette listlessly as he drove tamely towards his house. Fuck, he was so goddamn intrigued by Wendy; more so than any other girl. He was generally well known for taking advantage of the girls at the high school and it was something he actually took a little pride in, despite the general negativity that accompanied it. There was just something about her that had his attention. Sure, at first he'd only taken an interest in her as a way to get under that asshole Stan's skin but, the more he interacted with her, the more respect he gained for her. He didn't just want to fuck her. He wanted her to belong to him.

He let out a sigh as he carelessly flicked the CD player on, Sonic Youth blaring seductively. There was nothing like a good, abstract rock and roll song to soothe his angst-filled soul. As he continued to drive toward his house he tapped his hand on the steering wheel and dragged on the cigarette hungrily, his mind filled with thoughts of all the things he could do to Wendy's tantalizing body. Fuck. He'd never wanted anything so badly in life; mostly because no woman had ever told him no, really.

However, as his house came into sight his thoughts quickly switched from lust to concern as he noted there was a police car in his driveway. What the fuck was going on? He looked the driveway over curiously as he pulled up, shutting the car off and hopping out. He couldn't help but notice his heart beat speeding up a bit as he walked up the driveway, spotting Sergeant Yates at his front door.

"Hello?" Craig asked, somewhat monotone as he reached him, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets.

Yates shifted uncomfortably as he eyed Craig sympathetically, causing the teen's heart to quicken. Something was seriously wrong.

"Jesus…what is it?" Craig asked, his stomach aching as he braced himself for whatever it was.

The officer nodded, letting out a sigh before answering.

"Craig Tucker, right?" he asked, making sure he had the right kid before continuing.

"Yeah, I'm Craig," he responded, his blue eyes wide with nervousness.

Yates nodded once more before walking up to Craig and putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Oh my god…" Craig whimpered as he back away from Yates, shrugging his hands off of his shoulders. He put his hands to his mouth as tears immediately started to pool in his eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Yates began, feeling sick to his stomach as he watched this young man's life fall apart around him.

"No, no, no, no, no…" Craig said helplessly as he continued to cover his mouth with his hands, tears flowing uncontrollably from his eyes as Yates explained what happened.

"There was an accident. Your parents and sister were hit by a drunk driver. There were no survivors. I'm so, so sorry."

Craig felt his head spinning as he listened to the terrible news, almost feeling like it wasn't real. Nonetheless, he couldn't get his sobbing under control and, much to his distaste, he fell down to his knees. Yates looked around in discomfort before sighing and having himself a seat on the pavement beside the heartbroken kid. As Craig continued to sob Yates hesitantly put his hand on his shoulder, bowing his head respectfully as he waited for the Tucker kid to calm himself. It took a little longer than he'd hoped for, but he did manage to get himself under control.

As Craig sat there, his heart beating loud in his chest, he was immediately consumed with the realization that he was now parentless and had nowhere to go.

"What's gonna happen to me?" he asked quietly, his blue eyes looking up towards the officer fearfully.

Yates removed his hand from the boy's shoulder, preferring the distance as he explained where things went from here.

"I've already contacted your grandmother. She's on her way. She said she had something she needed to tell you but don't worry, you're not going into foster care, she did at least give me that much."

Craig's face was blank, giving the officer absolutely no reaction, which discomforted him immensely. However, despite his distress he sat beside the rather strange and brooding kid until his grandmother's car pulled up in the driveway. As she got out of the car Yates stood up, glancing sympathetically at Craig before approaching his grandmother. She, too, had tear stained cheeks as she reached out and shook his hand.

"Oh, thank you for being here when he got home…I can't imagine if he'd come home to an empty house," she said, her voice shaking from age and heartache.

Yates put his hand atop hers, looking into her eyes with all sincerity as he responded.

"Of course, Mrs. Tucker. And if there's anything you or Craig need please don't hesitate to contact me," he insisted.

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

Yates nodded at her before removing his hands, reaching into his pocket and locating a business card. He handed it to her before speaking once more.

"There's my number. Again, don't hesitate."

Grandma Tucker nodded at him, watching graciously as he walked away and got into his police cruiser. She waited until she heard him take off before approaching her grandson. She felt an enormous amount of pain tugging downwards at her heart as she looked at his blank face. She knew that was just his way, though, so she had herself a seat beside him and waited for him to address her before sharing what she knew.

"Am I coming to live with you?" he finally asked, not bothering to look at her. He loved his grandma and they'd always had a great relationship, but he wasn't about to be a big pussy and cry in front of her.

She let out a troubled sigh before touching her hand to Craig's chin, commanding his attention. He obliged, his eyes cold as he looked her over. God, he was such a handsome young man; she was so proud to call him hers.

"Craig, you have an option. That's what I'm here to talk to you about."

Craig narrowed his eyes in confusion. What the fuck option could he possibly have? Both of his parents were dead and Grandma Tucker was the only other relative he had in South Park.

His grandmother felt a small amount of guilt wash over her as she looked into those perplexed eyes of his. It was wrong that they'd kept this information from him for so long and it was something she'd fought his mother and father over for years. He had a right to know.

"Craig, sweetie, you know you are _more_ than welcome to come and live with me. In fact, I would prefer it that way but there _is _something you need to know."

Craig could see the distress on his grandmother's face. He hated to see her like that so he instinctively reached out and grabbed her hands, facing her as she spoke. He could tell she deserved is full attention and respect during this conversation, whatever the hell it was.

She smiled softly at him, though her face melted back to regret and shame as she went on.

"Honey…Thomas wasn't your real father."

Craig's stomach dropped.

"W…what?" he stammered, his blue eyes wide with confusion.

His grandmother immediately reached out and touched his face, hating that she had to deliver this news right after he'd found out his entire family was gone. Still, she had to be strong. He deserved to know who his real father was.

"When your mom and dad were newly weds they went through a very rough time, sweetie. Your dad actually left your mom for a few months, taking off to do some, uh…soul searching," she began.

Craig's eyes were fixated on her as he struggled to take in the information.

"So, while your father was gone your mom met another man and, briefly, they had an affair. After your dad got tired of being alone he realized he wanted to have a life with your mom so he came back and they worked things out but, while he had been away she'd gotten pregnant with you."

Craig looked absolutely mortified, which broke his grandmother's heart. She hated to be so blunt but she wasn't sure of how else to break the news.

"Dad knew I wasn't his?" Craig asked, still in the process of sorting things out.

His grandma nodded, "Yes. But he didn't care, honey. He loved you _so _much."

Craig put his hand to his head, entirely sickened as the news settled in. As he struggled to deal with both the loss of his family and the knowledge that he had an entirely different one out there waiting for him he realized there was only one more question to ask.

"Well…then…who is my dad?"

His grandmother eyed him for a second before speaking cautiously, knowing he wasn't going to like the response.

"Randy Marsh."

Craig's blank face immediately flashed rage as he stood himself up.

"FUCK!" he shouted out, grabbing his hair and violently tugging at it for a second. His grandmother watched sympathetically as he shook with rage, taking several moments to stop pulling his hair. As he slowly regained control of himself he released his locks, moving his hands to the back of his head and turning his attention back his grandma. She swallowed, her eyes filled with heartache for her beautiful grandson as he looked her over; he was broken and that frightened her because he'd always been so strong.

"Grandma," he began, his voice wavering a bit, tearing at her heart even further.

"Yes, honey?" she said sweetly, doing her best to be a pillar for him.

"I need some time to think about this. Is it okay with you if I go stay with Bebe tonight? I just…I don't know what I want to do right now."

She nodded towards him, understanding his young mind was probably blown with the overload of new information. They watched each other cautiously as she started to stand. Noticing that his elderly grandmother was struggling he immediately grabbed her hand and put his free arm around her shoulders, pulling her up with care. Once she was upright she faced him and touched her hand to his face, brushing his hair off of his forehead affectionately.

"I love you sweetie. Take all the time you need. We're going to get through this."

Craig nodded, tears welling in his eyes. He didn't let them fall, however. He had to be strong for his grandma.

She noticed him fighting his emotions, causing her to pull him close for a hug. He wrapped his long, thin arms around her and clutched her tightly, almost afraid to let her go.

"I love you, too, Grandma," he assured, his voice strained. He was fighting those tears with everything he had and she could tell.

She felt her own tears starting to fall gracefully down her face. She didn't make a sound as she cried, rather, she broke their embrace, once again brushing his hair aside as she spoke.

"You're a good boy Craig. Don't lose sight of who you are, promise me."

He looked down at her, a little confused at the statement. Nonetheless, he reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs. Once he'd dropped his hands back to his sides he responded.

"I won't. I promise."

She eyed him for a moment, fear in her heart that he wouldn't be able to pull through this. She was reluctant to let him go but she also knew how headstrong he could be so she pulled him in for one last brief hug before starting to walk away. Craig followed her, opening her car door for her and holding onto her as she got in, making sure she didn't lose her footing. She was so much older and increasingly fragile; it had always concerned him as he'd watched her age.

"Bye Gramma. Let me know when you're home, okay?"

"Bye sweetie. Tell Bebe I said hello for me."

Craig nodded to her before planting a loving kiss on her cheek and closing her door for her. He stepped back and folded his arms across his chest as he watched her back out of the driveway and take off. His heart sank as he watched her drive away, somewhat regretting the fact that he hadn't gone home with her. Still, he knew they would be in regular contact. He just needed a night to wrap his head around things.

He stood in the driveway aimlessly for a few minutes, his mind almost feeling numb as he did his best to think about nothing. He focused on his breathing.

In. Out. In. Out.

One fucking breath at a time.

However, despite his best efforts, his thoughts did eventually trail off to his family. First, he thought of his father. Fuck. His…adopted father? What the fuck was he? He felt like he could vomit as he suddenly sat down on the pavement, putting his hand to his head and shutting his eyes.

Fuck. He didn't want to think about this. For his own defense, he quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Bebe, knowing damn well she was the only person who would come to his aid this late at night. He had her wrapped around his finger, despite the fact that he cheated on her regularly. He had lied to Wendy when he'd said they were just fucking. They weren't; they'd been openly dating for several months now, though it was only because she'd forced his hand, cutting him off sexually if he didn't comply.

He sniffled a bit as he held the phone to his hear, relieved to hear her normally annoying voice on the other end.

"_Craig? What's going on?_" she asked, genuinely confused. He never called her this late.

"Uh, hey…can you come over? I…something really bad happened," he said, struggling to keep his voice steady. It was useless; she could immediately hear something was really, _really _wrong.

"_What happened?_" she asked, sounding overwhelmed with concern. He felt the slightest twinge of regret for the way he treated her as he heard the care she had for him so clearly in her voice. Goddamnit he was an asshole.

"There was an accident…my family…my mom…my dad…my sister…they're all gone…" he said, almost removed from himself as he spoke. He couldn't bear to actually think about the words and what they really meant.

"_Oh my God,_" she said, sounding entirely inundated. He put his hand to his head, running it through his hair before dropping it back to his lap.

"_I'll be right there baby…_" she continued suddenly, urgency in her voice.

He nodded to himself as though she could see. They didn't say anything else as they both hung up the phone, knowing they'd be united soon.

Craig shoved his phone into his pocket before pulling out his pack of cigarettes and lighting one up for himself. He tried to focus on it as he took a long drag, noting the pleasant feel of nicotine entering his lungs. Still, there wasn't anything in the world that could keep his mind off of things. Nothing to change what had happened.

He continued to smoke as his mind wandered back to his father. One particular memory stuck out in his head and it was one he knew he would grow to treasure.

It was just last summer, he recalled, when he and Clyde got into their first really massive fight with each other. He was so distraught because he'd slept with Clyde's girlfriend, Red, and he'd found out. The two of them had been best friends their entire lives and he'd gone and fucked his girlfriend. Once he'd found out they got into a fist fight, Craig of course beating the shit out of him. Clyde didn't stand a chance.

However, he wasn't proud of it. None of it. He felt like the biggest asshole on the planet and it did lead to the demise of their friendship. The two of them didn't even speak anymore, long awkward silences between them when they were, on occasion, forced to be around the other.

Nonetheless, in the wake of this rather significant point in his young life, he had gone home a distraught wreck. He'd never felt so bad about anything up to that point and, when he'd entered his house his dad immediately knew something had happened.

_"Craig…What happened to you? You're a mess!" Thomas stated as his son entered the house, bloodied and covered in dirt._

_ "Nothing, Dad. It's fine," he insisted, doing his best to get past him without having to explain himself. He was ashamed and had no desire to admit what he'd done out loud._

_ "Hey!" Thomas demanded, grabbing Craig by his shoulder and forcing eye contact. Craig swallowed uncomfortably, his eyes widened with shock, "sit down."_

_ As defiant as Craig could be he knew better than to disobey at that moment, walking over to the family couch and having himself a seat. He felt nervous as his father sat beside him, speaking calmly._

_ "Now, we're a family that communicates. Tell me what happened?"_

_ At first, Craig had been filled with resentment, though he knew he had to comply._

_ "I fucked Clyde's girlfriend. We got in a fight."_

_ He expected his dad to fly off the handle at the fact he was sexually active, not to mention being a moron about it, though he didn't. In fact, he surprised him by being compassionate._

_ "Well…Craig…it's okay. These things happen. You're young and you're…hormonal. I actually did something pretty similar when I was your age, believe it or not."_

_ Craig cringed at the thought of having to hear about his dad having sex. That just wasn't something he wanted to think about._

_ "Dad…it's cool. We really don't have to talk about this…"_

_ "Relax," he interrupted, "I'm not going to tell you about it. My point is, you're young. You're just making your way into the world and you're bound to make mistakes along the way. Don't beat yourself up too much. Things happen for a reason and they have their way of working themselves out, really. You'd be surprised."_

_ Craig stared at him blankly as he so often did which caused his dad to smirk at him before nudging his arm playfully._

_ "Lighten up kiddo. Seriously, it's all going to be okay. High school is a bunch of bullshit anyway. Trust me, you'll look back on this one day and laugh about it."_

_ Craig looked him over skeptically, though he had to admit that statement did bring him quite a bit of relief. He let out a sigh before rolling his eyes and smirking back at his dad._

_ "Yeah, alright. Thanks, Dad."_

_ "Anytime," he said as he watched Craig stand up and start heading off towards his room. However, he couldn't help but get one more little cheeky remark in._

_ "And Craig…?"_

_ His son stopped in his tracks, turning to look at him in confusion. Thomas smiled at him, thoroughly amused._

_ "Watch what you put your dick in, son."_

_ Craig rolled his eyes dramatically before disappearing up the stairs, leaving his dad on the couch chuckling._

Craig swallowed hard as he killed his cigarette, pain squeezing his heart. Luckily Bebe was pulling into his driveway. Now he could distract himself from all the bullshit. He didn't bother to stand as he watched his girlfriend hurriedly get out of her small car, dressed in a snug red sweater and jeans, her curly blond hair long and down. He liked when she wore it that way.

"Hey…" he said as she immediately had herself a seat beside him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her head against him.

"Hey," she offered, sympathy in her voice. Fuck. He hadn't invited her over to pity him.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a small amount of comfort as he stared aimlessly ahead of him, enjoying the warm feel of her body against his. They sat this way for a lengthy amount of time, neither of them saying a word. However, he eventually realized they were going to have to talk at some point, so he leaned away from her, making eye contact. She swallowed nervously, unsure of what she should say.

"It's okay, Babe. You don't need to say anything. Nothing's going to make this better anyway. Just be here with me," he offered, knowing she was uncomfortable. Her face was still pained as he reached out and rubbed her cheek affectionately with his thumb. He couldn't really explain it, but he genuinely appreciated her getting over to his house so quickly. She was a good person.

Bebe was entirely overwhelmed by the situation. Not only had she just received shocking news but this was the first time Craig had ever asked her to do something without the expectation of some sort of sexual activity. He'd never just called her because he needed or wanted her around. Perhaps things were progressing between them the way she'd been hoping for. In all honesty, she was head over heels in love with him, though she'd been very afraid to voice it. She knew he was closed off emotionally so she always avoided pushing the issue.

Craig could see the discomfort and confusion on Bebe's face so he gently reached out and grabbed her hand, sincerity in his voice as he spoke.

"I just want you here…that's all," he assured.

She smiled a bit at him, though not looking overly happy.

"I'm here then," she said, leaning in and planting a kiss on his lips.

Normally when she would do this he would immediately ravage her but tonight he simply didn't have it in him. Tonight he felt like a part of him had died and, in all actuality, it had.

"C'mon…let's go lay down," he said as he grabbed her hand and stood himself up. She followed in silence as they went inside, making their way to his bedroom.

Once they were in his room Craig removed his clothes, leaving his boxers on before slipping into his bed and pulling the covers up to his chin. Bebe also stripped down to her underwear and made her way under the covers. She felt a wave of empathy wash over her as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face below her neck, allowing her to rest her head atop his. Fuck. She'd never seen him this vulnerable; it broke her heart.

As Craig clutched onto her needily he relished in the warmth of her skin. He observed her slow heart beat, the blood pumping through her veins; the warm, intoxicating feel of her living, breathing body. Yes, tonight he could settle for a warm, living person holding him close.

Tonight, all he needed was life.


	3. Chapter 3

It Could Be You

Chapter 3

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: XD Thank you guys so much for the wonderful reviews! It motivates me that much more to keep writing!)

Stan was sitting at the lunch table, eagerly chatting with Kyle, Kenny and Cartman. They would meet there every morning to hang out and swap homework before classes would begin for the day. They all had pretty bad cases of senioritis so they'd systematically delegated the homework amongst them so no one had to actually do more than one or two classes worth in a day.

"Here," Kenny said happily as he passed his science homework to Cartman.

Cartman eagerly took it before handing him his English paper.

"Make sure you change the wording a bit, asshole," Eric demanded. He never actually thanked any of them for sharing, despite the fact he was rather lucky they included him. The main reason they did was because he was damn good at pretty much every subject. Go figure, the fat, racist asshole _would _be one of the smartest kids in the entire school.

"Fuck you, Cartman!" Kenny retorted, though he didn't seem like he really meant it. At this point insults were just habit among them all. Except for Kyle, of course.

"Here's the Government answers," Stan said, blatantly ignoring the situation between Kenny and Eric as he handed his work to Kyle.

"Thanks dude," he said graciously as he passed his math homework to Stan.

Stan nodded, showing his appreciation as he started copying the answers. Wendy was sitting beside Stan, all too aware of their little 'system'. She knew good and well one of these days they would get caught but, despite her issues and concerns with the boyish laziness, she let it slide. After all, it _was _senior year and graduation was drawing near. What was the harm, really?

"Stan," Wendy suddenly said, leaning in close to her boyfriend.

Despite his concentration on cheating, he abruptly set his pencil down and put his arm around her. He was always very attentive with her and he rather enjoyed it. He liked how masculine she made him feel so he was always more than willing to pull her in for a good squeeze.

"What is it, babe?" he asked fondly as he held her close, touching his free hand to her chin.

She smiled sweetly towards him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed herself closer.

"Kiss," she stated rather simply.

His smile broadened as he realized she was being flirtatious and he wrapped both of his arms around her waist, kissing her affectionately.

"Gross! Get a room, Jesus fucking Christ!" Cartman hollered, squinching his nose. He hated it when they got all physical in front of him.

"Fuck off, Cartman," Stan said unenthusiastically as he kept his arm around Wendy, though he did turn to face his 'friend'.

"Yeah, don't be jealous. Just because you're not getting any doesn't mean the rest of us don't!" Kenny teased, poking Cartman's arm in an effort to annoy him. Much to his enjoyment it did.

"Goddamnit Kenny! I told you I can have any girl I want! It's not my fault this school is full of trashy bitch-whores!"

Wendy raised one of her eyebrows at Eric, quietly warning him he'd better shut the fuck up. He met her gaze before rolling his eyes and letting out a vexed sigh.

"Except for Wendy, of course," he added in an effort to get her off his back.

However, he was displeased to see her still staring at him, though she wasn't glaring at him. She was just simply looking at him as though she were unimpressed, which actually bothered him more.

"Alright, alright. Jesus I'm sorry," he spat out, his cheeks reddening with frustration as he quickly turned his attention back to his 'homework'.

Wendy rolled her eyes as she nuzzled up to Stan, quietly happy that she'd gotten Cartman so flustered. She enjoyed putting him in his place more than she probably should have. However, her demeanor quickly changed as she spotted Bebe entering the cafeteria, dark circles under her eyes.

"Hey, Bebe," Wendy said as she patted the empty seat beside her, indicating her desire for them to sit together, "Jesus are you okay?" she asked as Bebe plopped down beside her, running her hand through her hair as she sighed heavily.

All the boys had paused their diligent homework escapades, somewhat intrigued by Bebe's unusual demeanor.

"Yeah, what's the matter Bebe? Did Tucker finally knock you up?" Cartman chuckled maliciously. Kenny elbowed him angrily, causing him to shut up and pout.

Bebe and Wendy both shot him an angry glare as Wendy reached out and gently rubbed her friend's shoulder in an attempt to get her to discuss whatever was bothering her.

"Goddamnit, Cartman. You're such a dick!" she said, genuinely pissed at him for his joke. Boy she hoped he felt like an asshole when she told him what was actually bothering her.

"Look…" she began, addressing everyone at the table strictly, "…you guys need to be nice to Craig, okay? His family got hit by a drunk driver last night."

Wendy immediately put her hand to her mouth, shock and amazement washing over her. Holy shit…if she hadn't have gone driving with him last night he might've been with them…

"Jesus," Stan said, actually feeling concern for Craig despite the fact he generally loathed him, "are they okay?"

Bebe shook her head as she continued, "that's why I'm so tired. I was at his house with him all night last night…he kept waking up from nightmares. They all died…his mom, his dad, his sister…they're all gone."

"Oh my God…well, where's he going to live then?" Kyle asked, utterly dumbfounded.

Bebe shrugged, "I don't know. We didn't talk all that much."

Cartman scoffed, immediately earning disgusted looks from everyone else at the table. Nonetheless, he couldn't help himself.

"Of course you didn't. You know Tucker only dates you for your pussy, right?"

Bebe immediately felt her face run hot as she slammed her fist onto the table.

"Shut the fuck up, Cartman! You don't know anything about him!"

Eric shut his mouth abruptly, though continued to glare at her. She was so stupid for dating that piece of shit Craig. She could do so much better…

Bebe's hands were trembling as she stared Cartman down, though her face changed hastily as her eyes fell upon Craig carelessly strolling into the lunch room. The rest of the table took notice of him too, particularly Wendy.

"Jesus…" Kyle said quietly as they all observed him walking over to Token and chatting casually with him. He definitely looked more tired than usual, but it appeared he was acting entirely normal. The small group of teenagers continued to watch until Craig somewhat took notice, his eyes falling on Bebe. He swallowed and shoved his hands into his pockets before nudging Token with his elbow and, apparently, saying goodbye.

Wendy, almost involuntarily, scooted closer to Stan and wrapped her arm around his. He took notice for just a second, though quickly followed suit with the rest of them as Craig walked up to Bebe.

"C'mon," he said, tilting his head away from the table to indicate the fact he didn't want her hanging out with them. He hated it when she hung out with those assholes, though he allowed it most of the time because he knew she was close with Wendy. Today, however, he wasn't in the mood.

"What?" Bebe asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Who the fuck did he think he was bossing her around like it was the 1930's or something?

"No…what the fuck are you doing…why are you acting like that? Why are you even here? You should be home…"

Craig stared at her blankly for a moment before responding.

"My Grandma wanted me to come to school. Are you seriously talking about this right now? Have you already told these assholes what happened?" he demanded, genuinely irritated she was spreading his business. She was such a goddamn loud mouth.

Bebe blinked at him with her mouth hanging open. He shook his head and let out an irritated laugh.

"Of course you did! Because my life is just one big fucking chunk of the soap opera that is yours, right? It's all fair game…why not just tell the whole goddamn school what happened, huh? After all, I'm here for everyone's entertainment, right?" he said loudly, getting some further attention from tables near by, including Clyde.

"Stop it, Craig," Bebe demanded, a little shocked at his outburst.

"Fuck off, Bebe!" he retorted, leaning in and grabbing her arm, causing Eric to stand up. He'd be damned if he was going to let Craig get physical with her.

Craig looked up at him, a little shocked as he slowly realized everyone at the table was ready to pounce on him if he got any more aggressive. He felt a sudden stab of guilt in his chest as he looked down at Bebe, her eyes wide with fright. He swallowed hard before letting her go and stepping back, his hands in the air signifying his surrender, though he still looked incredibly frustrated.

Bebe suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand. Wendy felt the slightest pang of jealousy in her stomach as she watched, grasping even tighter onto Stan.

"I'm sorry. I only told them because I didn't want them to mess with you…" she explained.

"I can handle myself," he insisted as he snatched his hand back. Sure, he felt bad about grabbing her but he wasn't about to get all sentimental with her, especially not in front of Wendy. Not to mention he didn't want to sit down and spend his morning with Stan.

Fuck. Stan. His brother…

His eyes flickered towards him, somewhat finding himself curious. Stan's blue eyes met his, immediately discomforting him. Craig didn't care. As he looked at him he was a little surprised he hadn't considered this earlier…they definitely had physical similarities.

"I know you can," Bebe continued, oblivious to the quiet exchange of curiosity he was having with Stan, "I was just trying to help."

Craig eyed Stan for a few more seconds before shaking it off and returning his focus to Bebe.

"Well, quit it, alright? Fuck…why do you always have to try so hard? You're not going to make me change. I'm not gonna wake up and magically give a shit about you one of these days. Don't get me wrong…I'm glad you were there for me last night but…Christ…I fucking cheat on you all the time and you know it! Why don't you just leave already? At least then I'd have a little respect for you."

"Craig…" Stan said, in that 'c'mon dude' sort of tone. However, he was interrupted by Bebe standing up and slamming her fist onto the table.

"I didn't know you cheated on me, asshole!" she shouted grabbing onto his arm and yanking him forward. Much to her irritation and everyone else's surprise he smiled at her and let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, well, I do," he retorted as he yanked his arm away from her again.

Bebe stared at him in disbelief, "how many girls?"

Craig shrugged before speaking coldly, "I dunno. Five…six..."

Bebe's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What the hell, Craig! I should've just left you there to rot last night! To think I actually sat there and listened to your pussy ass crying all goddamn night!" she shouted before shoving him forcefully and storming in the other direction.

Cartman immediately stood up, shooting Craig an angry glance as he hurried after Bebe.

An awkward silence settled over the rest of the table as Craig scratched the back of his head and watched as Eric started to console her on the other side of the lunch table. It was no secret he wanted her and he was more than likely using this opportunity to make her his. Fine. He could have her.

He let out a sigh as he realized he'd just completely lost it in front of everyone. Perhaps he should've stayed home. He clearly wasn't ready to deal with all the assholes he went to school with. As he found himself lost in thought his eyes somehow found their way to Wendy, his stomach becoming weightless as he saw the disappointment on her face. Jesus. He'd just acted like a complete asshole in front of her.

He opened his mouth a bit, entirely unsure what he could do to make it better. It took him a few moments to realize that there really wasn't anything he could do. He didn't want to expose the fact he was getting under her skin with Stan right there. That would _definitely _ruin his chances with her.

Still…he really would like it if he could just talk to her. As he looked her over he felt an overwhelming frustration. There was no way he had a shot with her. How could he be so goddamn stupid? She was way out of his league and he'd just maliciously ripped out her best friend's heart right in front of her. Not too mention he'd exposed the fact that he'd lied about the nature of his relationship with Bebe in the first place. Yeah…he was screwed.

However, despite the dismal situation he managed to smirk, plopping down onto the lunch table bench and resting his elbows on it. He stared at the group of well-liked teenagers, knowing damn well none of them wanted him there. It almost fueled his fire to see their disapproving looks. Well, so long as he didn't look at Wendy, anyway.

"Dude…why don't you just go home?" Stan asked, trying to be somewhat cordial. Clearly Craig shouldn't have come to school.

Craig shrugged, his eyes widening slightly as he realized Clyde was approaching him. Everyone continued to watch curiously as Clyde walked over, stopping in front of him with his hands shoved in his letterman jacket.

"Clyde," Craig acknowledged, seeming totally un-phased. Of course, everyone knew better.

"What the hell was that?" Clyde asked, genuinely irritated with his ex-best friend. He couldn't help but feel further and further disappointment as he watched his friend spiral downwards over the last year. Sure, Craig had always been a bastard but now he'd really lost it.

Craig shrugged, pushing the side of his cheek with his tongue as he looked away. He really didn't want to have a confrontation with Clyde; he still cared about him deeply, despite the time that had passed.

Clyde, however, wasn't about to roll over and play dead.

"Your dick getting you into trouble again?" he urged, somewhat disdainfully.

Craig let out a light chuckle before looking up at his old friend.

"Yeah," he responded, none-too-impressed.

Clyde nodded before letting out a sigh.

"God, Craig…when the fuck are you going to wake up? Look at you…you're a fucking wreck! Jesus…you're selling drugs, you're fucking anything with a pulse…you're starting to run out of allies here, buddy."

"I don't need anyone," Craig spat out, a little bothered that Clyde knew he was pushing weed to the student body. He'd actually tried to hide that, somewhat.

Wendy's heart sank a little at that statement. She'd always known Craig was a fuckup but, Jesus, clearly losing his parents was the last straw. He appeared to have absolutely no humanity left.

"Yeah, we get it. Craig Tucker's a badass motherfucker who doesn't give a shit about anyone. Get over yourself."

Craig's eyes quickly glanced over, noting that Bebe was leaning on Eric vulnerably. She was quick to jump into anyone's arms, that was for sure. However, he found himself entirely unbothered as he let out a sigh and turned his attention back to Clyde.

"Yeah, well…what can you do," he sighed, not really proud of the words escaping him. Of course he wanted nothing more than to tell Clyde he'd lost his parents; he would've done _anything _to have the courage to say 'hey, I fucking need you right now'. Sadly, he just didn't have it in him.

Clyde rolled his eyes before looking towards the kid he'd used to care for so much, "Everyone's tired of trying. If you want to be miserable then, fine, go ahead. Piss your life away, but quit dragging the rest of us down with you."

Craig swallowed hard as Clyde started to walk away, a pained look actually crossing his face. A long, sympathetic silence ensued as the others tried to find a way out of the situation. He noticed.

He shifted uncomfortably for a moment, his eyes landing on Wendy once more. He was a little surprised to see what looked like sympathy in her eyes. It made him feel like his heart was being tugged on. However, he wasn't about to let everyone in the world see that side of him. He cleared his throat before looking towards the rest of them.

"If you guys want any weed I sell it cheap," he said matter-of-factly before standing up and making his way back to Token. He'd had enough interaction with Stan and his crew for one day.


	4. Chapter 4

It Could Be You

Chapter 4

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Oh wow thank you for the reviews. So sweet :D I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story because I'm having a really great time writing it!)

"God, he's such a fucking asshole!" Bebe fumed as she leaned against her locker. They were in between classes and she was absolutely furious, despite the fact they were getting ready to start their last class of the day. She was definitely good at holding a grudge and dwelling on it endlessly.

Wendy nodded in agreement as she searched her locker for her Creative Writing textbook. It was her favorite class of the day and, admittedly, a part of that had to do with the fact Craig was in it. She was listening to Bebe and, of course, she sympathized with her. What Craig had done to her in front of the entire school was wrong, but she could understand he was going through an immense tragedy. He certainly wasn't in his right mind and she could see that.

"_Wendy_? Hellooo…are you listening to me? Why aren't you talking shit with me?" Bebe suddenly demanded, a little irritated with her friend. This was the way things were supposed to go between them. Bebe would sleep with some asshole, Wendy would adamantly agree that he was an asshole, shit talking would commence and then a pleasant 'you're so awesome fuck him' conversation would wrap the whole situation up until the next guy breezed through. Frankly, Wendy was growing tired of it.

"Huh? Oh…I'm sorry," she said, locating her book and shutting her locker. Bebe stared at her expectantly, causing Wendy to sigh, "I'm just tired. Didn't get too much sleep last night."

"Yeah…I tried to call you a few times last night…why weren't you answering your phone, by the way? Were you and Stan gettin' it on or something?" Bebe teased as the two of them made their way through the halls. They had different classes, though they were right beside each other so they always accompanied one another on the way.

"No, no…" Wendy responded, her stomach starting to flutter a bit. She definitely didn't _ever _want Bebe to know she'd been riding around town with her boyfriend behind her back, "I had my phone on silent so I didn't hear your calls, that's all."

"Oh," Bebe said, sounding a little discouraged. Something was off with Wendy; she could feel it.

"Hey," Bebe suddenly said, stepping in front of Wendy and stopping her in her tracks. Wendy's eyes were wide as she stared at her friend, unsure what was happening, "are we alright? You've been acting kind of weird…"

Wendy continued to observe her friend, a blank expression on her face as she considered the question. Sure, she cared about Bebe. Hell, they'd been best friends damn near their entire lives. It was just that, well, she felt like she was growing up and Bebe wasn't. It was always the same with her. The same mistakes and the same problems over, and over, and over again. It was goddamn exhausting. Of course, she didn't have it in her to say that; the thought of their friendship weakening saddened her far too much.

"Yeah, of course," she lied, smiling reassuringly towards her friend.

Bebe immediately smiled before clutching her books to her chest and starting to walk again. Jesus, she was so easily convinced. It added to Wendy's annoyance with her.

Nonetheless, she sighed quietly to herself as she followed suit towards their classes, eager to delve into some therapeutic writing. However, as she approached the class she heard Bebe scoffing once more.

"Ugh, there he is…" she scowled. Wendy's aggravation would've normally grown at this point, but her heart was too busy skipping a beat as her lavender eyes fell upon Craig. He literally took her breath away, as much as she struggled to fight it.

As Wendy slowly walked towards her class Bebe continued to talk shit, more to convince herself he was an asshole. Sadly, this was mistakenly overlooked by her best friend because, what Wendy wrote off as Bebe's usual immaturity was, in actuality, heartache. She was really, truly in love with him and scowling and scoffing at him was the only way she knew how to cope.

"Okay, well…I'll see you after class," Bebe said, suddenly snapping Wendy out of her trance.

"Yeah, sure…" she responded, sounding entirely disinterested. Bebe would've called her on it any other day but today she was far too wrapped up in her own problems.

"K, later bestie," she said, doing her best to seem happy in front of Craig. Much to her disappointment he didn't so much as glance at her as she finally gave up and headed into her respective classroom.

Wendy nodded at her before once more focusing her attention on Craig. She was doing her best to be a wallflower and he genuinely seemed to be caught up in conversation with Tweek so he didn't notice her. She found herself utterly fascinated as he leaned against the wall, as cool and carefree as she'd ever seen him. He was chatting with Tweek, smiling and laughing a bit here and there which she found wildly attractive, despite the fact she found it odd he was capable of that so quickly after his family tragedy. Then, with mild amusement, she watched as he started to pull a cigarette out. He frequently did this, almost always earning himself a trip to the principal's office or detention for the class period. She couldn't understand on any level why he did such things but she did appreciate seeing the teachers get all flustered, she had to admit.

As she watched him gently drop the cigarette into his palm in an attempt to pack it she felt her stomach drop and cheeks flush as his crystal blue eyes met hers. It almost seemed like slow motion as he casually put his cigarette into his mouth and smirked towards her, knowing damn well she was admiring him. She swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to avert her eyes. However, she found herself powerless as she watched him light his cigarette, take a long drag and stare at her charmingly. As they observed each other, trying to figure out just what was going on between them, they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Craig Tucker! Goddamnit! How many times do I have to ask you to stop smoking in the hallways, mmmkay!" Mr. Mackey demanded as he hastily made his way over to Craig, snatching the cigarette out of his hand and tossing it to the ground before stomping it out.

Wendy smirked sheepishly as Craig smiled at Mr. Mackey, genuinely amused with his reaction.

"At least once more," Craig responded cheekily as he folded his arms across his chest.

Mr. Mackey shook his head, almost looking disappointed, which immediately seemed to affect Craig's demeanor. He no longer looked like he was drawing enjoyment from the situation, rather, he almost looked concerned.

"Look…I didn't come here to holler at you today, mmkay? I came here to tell you that, if you want, my office is door is open. Your grandmother gave me a call and she requested that I let you know I'm here for counseling, mmkay?"

Wendy felt her stomach softly aching as she watched an abrupt and profound pain wash over Craig. It felt damn near an eternity as he stared at Mr. Mackey, seemingly at a loss for words. Luckily, the long silence was finally ended as Mr. Mackey cleared his throat, smiling sympathetically towards the young kid before walking away, eager to relieve himself of the awkward moment.

Wendy watched quietly as Craig struggled to recover and maintain his image in front of his friends. She could see through the pain, though, as he wiped his nose casually and averted his attention back to Tweek. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, his hands were trembling profusely as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled a small bag of weed out, passing it to Tweek. Tweek graciously took it before giving him a wad of cash, which he tucked safely into his backpack before quickly turning and making his way into the classroom, doing his best to avoid looking at Wendy. She waited for a few seconds, not wanting to seem too eager, before sucking it up and making her way into the classroom. Craig was seated at the back, leaning far back into his seat and fiddling with a pencil as he stared out the window on the left hand side of the room. For the briefest moment, she considered just giving it a rest and walking away from the whole situation. However, as she gazed at him, she knew she couldn't do that; Craig was lost and, for whatever reason, she was the only person he would even consider listening to. She had to try and help.

She took in a deep breath before doing her best to stride confidently toward him, having herself a seat in the chair beside him. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but look towards her. She smiled at him assuringly before the bell rang, interrupting their gaze.

"Alright guys…" the teacher began, commanding the attention of the class, "I'm sending the attendance sheet around. Go ahead and sign it. Your assignment for the day is…"

Wendy would normally listen to the teacher but, as he droned on, she was distracted by Craig tearing a piece of paper from his notebook and eagerly scribbling something upon it. She made sure to watch him out the corner of her eye so he didn't notice her. However, she was pleasantly surprised as he smirked at her, tossing it lazily onto her desktop. She felt a little awkward, definitely not wanting to get caught note passing. This teacher liked to make spectacle out of it by reading the notes out loud; he was very well known for it, in fact. Nonetheless, she was far too curious about anything Craig had to say to worry about the consequences.

She tried to be somewhat covert as she slid the paper in front of her and quietly pried it open.

"_Hey sexy. You want to get out of here?"_

Wendy's eyes widened as her cheeks immediately reddened. She thought briefly about rolling the paper up into a ball and chucking at his head, though better judgment prevailed as she rolled her eyes and lowered her head, quickly jotting down her response. He watched her, not bothering to hide his intrigue as she eyed the teacher and quickly passed it back.

He was far more conspicuous than she had been as he opened it, though didn't catch their teacher's attention. More or less instructors were uninterested in what he did for the most part; everyone always knew he was a trouble maker and, as he got older, people were starting to give up. There was simply no reasoning or trying to provide structure for someone who so obviously had no desire to comply.

"_No! What are you, crazy? We can't just waltz out of class. Besides, I'm with Stan. How many times do I have to tell you that?"_

Wendy did her best to act uninterested, though she did feel a small pit forming in her stomach as she awaited his response. She hated to admit it, but she actually did want him to convince her to leave with him; she really just didn't want to seem like she was that easy to win over. He had to earn it.

After thirty seconds or so Craig reached his hand out, causing Wendy to abruptly snatch the paper. Jesus…he was so goddamn obvious about it. She shot him a disapproving and stressed look before shaking her head and unfolding the note once more.

"_Of course I'm crazy…that's what you like about me, isn't it? And if you're so in love with Stan why do I catch you staring at me all the time? You know you get all juicy and wet just thinking about me…admit it."_

Wendy's jaw literally dropped as she read that last bit. Jesus, where did he get off talking to her like that? She gritted her teeth as she leaned forward and scribbled furiously. Craig couldn't help but be amused at the reaction he'd drawn from her. She was so cute when she was being stubborn.

He waited patiently for her to finish, smirking at her as she handed him the note. She didn't look amused in the slightest.

"_Stop it, Craig! God…you can't talk to me like that! What do you want to leave for anyway? I thought you like this class."_

Craig read it over a few times, realizing suddenly that he had a genuine reason for wanting to leave. He wanted to talk to her but he knew he wouldn't be able to get her alone unless they bailed on school early. He considered what approach he should take to win her over for several moments before finally writing his response and sheepishly handing the note back to her. She took immediate notice of the change in demeanor, melting her disgust and gaining her interest once more.

"_Okay…I'm sorry. But, seriously, I want to leave. You're the only person I trust and I have something I __really__ need to get off my chest. Please, let's just go? We can just stand up and leave…what's anyone going to do about it? Nothing, I promise you."_

Wendy stared at the note, considering her options carefully. On the one hand, it was incredibly tempting on a personal level and, of course, out of concern for Craig's well being. On the other, if Stan were to find out she ditched school and ran off with Craig there would be hell to pay. She thought about it skeptically for a few moments before, much to even her own surprise, she lifted her head and met Craig's gaze. They remained this way for just a few seconds before she nodded in the affirmative at him. His eyes widened, a little surprised that he'd actually managed to persuade her, though he didn't want to give her enough time to reconsider.

In a quick, obnoxious movement, Craig stood up and tossed his backpack over his shoulder, looking towards Wendy as he was nervous she would back out. Luckily, she stood herself up, too.

"Sit down!" their teacher demanded, sounding entirely appalled that they were gathering their things.

Neither of them bothered to say a word as Craig quickly strode towards the front of the classroom. Wendy's heart was pounding in her chest. She never did such things; especially nothing so disrespectful towards someone who had authority over her. Nonetheless, she was incredibly excited as she followed Craig out of the classroom, their teacher hollering at them all the while.

"C'mon!" Craig suddenly said as they made their way into the hall. She started to laugh from the pure thrill of it all as he instinctively grabbed her hand and led her down the hall hurriedly. They were running, smiling and panting as they dashed down the halls and out of the school, high on the pure adrenaline of the moment.

"Aaaaah!" Wendy yelled out happily as they made their way to the side of Craig's truck. She immediately let go of his hand as she knelt forward and struggled to catch her breath, smiling brilliantly towards him. Christ, she really did make his heart skip a beat.

"Oh my god! That was so fun!" she admitted as she continued to try and catch her breath.

Craig nodded towards her, unable to stop himself from smiling.

"Well, come on then…get in…we don't want to get caught now!" he insisted as he unlocked his door and hopped inside.

Wendy nodded, still smiling as she went around. Craig leaned over and pulled the door handle, unlocking it for her in the process. She was still giggling a bit as she slid into the seat, shut the door and buckled herself in.

Craig immediately started the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, neither of them looking back. They drove in silence for a few minutes while they caught their breath before Wendy finally got the courage to speak up.

"So what did you want to tell me?" she asked, realizing the conversation was probably going to be pretty heavy. At least they'd had a few lighthearted moments there.

Craig let out a sigh before suddenly slowing the car down and pulling off the side of the road, turning the car off. A thick silence settled between them as he held his hands on the steering wheel, staring at it aimlessly. Wendy watched him curiously, not wanting to push him into a conversation he wasn't ready for. Christ, she felt so fucking bad for him. She couldn't even begin to imagine how lost and scared he must've felt.

"Look…this…this has to stay between us, alright?" he requested, breaking the tense silence.

"Of course…I won't tell anyone, Craig. I promise," she assured as she shifted sideways, facing him to show her complete attention.

She watched patiently as he wrung the steering wheel with one of his hands nervously. He was biting his lower lip as he struggled to figure out the right way to approach the situation before letting out a frustrated sigh and looking towards her. She almost felt like her heart had stopped as he looked helplessly in her direction.

"My grandma told me something about my family that I never knew," he began, trying to ease his way into the situation. He wasn't sure how she'd react and he genuinely did need someone to discuss it with. He just didn't want to scare her off before he had the opportunity to seek her help.

She nodded, showing that she was doing her best to follow what he was saying. He averted his eyes uncomfortably and started rubbing his free hand's thumb and index finger together to calm his nerves.

"The thing is…my dad wasn't my dad. I mean…he _was _my dad. You know, he raised me and taught me how to be a man and everything, but he didn't _make_ me, if you know what I'm saying."

Wendy nodded to show her understanding as she instinctively reached out and touched Craig's finicky hand. He cleared his throat and raised his eyes to stare out at the road as he affectionately laced his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand just the slightest bit.

"Who's your dad, then?" Wendy asked, realizing this wasn't at all easy for him to discuss.

He looked down at his lap, his hand squeezing the steering wheel even harder as he spoke.

"Randy."

Wendy immediately felt like she had a lump in her throat as her eyes widened.

"Randy as in…Stan's dad?"

"Yeah," he said, sounding frustrated as he let go of the steering wheel and propped his elbow on the car door. He immediately ran his hand through his hair as he looked towards Wendy, entirely stressed out.

She felt her heart sink as she realized how much further this complicated the situation not only for him, but for her. Now, not only was she starting to have an overwhelming attraction to another man but, she was increasingly drawn to her boyfriend's brother.

Craig gently gave her hand a squeeze, causing her to look up at him, their eyes locking.

"I know what you're thinking," he said quietly.

Wendy found herself entirely speechless. What the hell was she supposed to say to that? However, before she could say anything out of anger or fright, he continued.

"Look…I'm not going to pressure you into something you don't want. Just…can I hold you for a little while? Please? I won't do anything weird, I promise. You just make me comfortable."

Wendy stared at him, her lavender eyes flickering with fear and perhaps shame as she considered it. It took her a few seconds but, eventually, she let go of his hand and quietly lifted the cup holder between them, sliding into the center seat and leaning her small frame into his larger one.

No words were exchanged between the two of them as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and rested his cheek atop her head. Their hearts were both beating irregularly with tension and confusion as they cuddled together, trying to find some sort of comfort in the increasingly messy situation. This went on for several minutes before, finally, Craig nuzzled his nose into her hair and kissed the top of her head lightly.

She didn't protest. He didn't push it any further. They simply sat there in the warm comfort of each other until the time came to take her home.

…

Stan's head was spinning as he wandered into his house. He had waited for almost an hour for Wendy to meet him after school. He always drove her home and, for whatever reason, she was nowhere to be found after class. He had texted her several times and he was starting to get worried before she finally did answer him. She'd said she'd decided to go home early because she didn't feel good. Fair enough; he just thought it was weird she didn't let him know before hand. That was what she'd always done in the past. He couldn't help but notice she'd been acting rather strange for the last few weeks; something was going on, he just couldn't place what it was.

"Hey…how was school?" Randy's voice suddenly interrupted his son's thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, it was fine I guess," he replied, seeming to be a little down.

Randy looked him over for a moment, knowing damn well something was bothering him. Stan always became very dark and brooding when something was getting to him.

"Stan, what is it? You can tell me," Randy insisted as he had himself a seat beside him. Normally Stan would just blow him off and go to his room, finding his father to be incredibly stupid and annoying. Today, however, he was experiencing a profound sympathy for the news he'd heard at school. He couldn't quite place it but, for some reason, he'd always sort of worried about Craig. It didn't make any sense; he'd always hated the guy. But still…there was just something about him that made Stan give a damn.

"Well…I found out today at school that one of my friends' parents and sister got into a car accident. They all died…it's just been really bugging me, that's all."

As Stan explained himself, his mother walked into the room and caught the tail end of their conversation.

"Oh my god, Stanley. Who was it?" she asked, her nurturing and motherly instincts immediately kicking in.

Stan shrugged, unsure of why any of this really mattered as he went on.

"This kid Craig. Craig Tucker. I don't really hang out with him all that much, but it still bothered me."

Sharon and Randy both immediately felt their stomach's drop. Holy shit!

"Tucker…Craig _Tucker_ lost his family?" Randy repeated, immediately realizing what this meant. It had been _so _many years since he'd had his affair with Diane. He was very much aware that Craig was his son, though he'd done absolutely nothing about it. It was Diane's wishes that Craig be kept in the dark about it as she didn't want anything further to do with Randy after she'd reunited with her husband.

Of course, Sharon was aware of the affair. It had all come out somewhere along the line but, unfortunately for Randy, she was very unaware of the fact that he'd fathered a son with her. Though, she'd definitely had her suspicions with the timing of the baby and all.

"Yeah, why…what's the big deal?" Stan asked, noticing his parents' rather extreme reaction to the situation.

"Nothing! Nothing Stan. Now go to your room…me and your mom have to talk," Randy immediately stated, much to Stan's annoyance and confusion.

He rolled his eyes before sighing.

"Fine, whatever," he grumbled as he gathered up his backpack and made his way up the stairs.

Randy and Sharon waited to hear their son's door click shut before looking desperately towards one another.

"Well…now's the time to come out with it, Randy," Sharon insisted. She'd confronted him about Craig before and he'd always adamantly denied it. Now, however, she knew he could only deny his son if he were a heartless demon, and she knew good and well he wasn't.

Randy's jaw was dropped as he struggled to find the right words. However, after just a few moments of stunned Silence, Sharon grew impatient.

"Randy…is he or isn't he your son!" she demanded, disdain heavy in her voice.

Randy's mouth quivered as he finally managed to locate his voice, though he was very meek as he replied.

"Yes…yes he is…"


	5. Chapter 5

It Could Be You

Chapter 5

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you! You guys are so nice :D I'm so happy to have people reading this story and enjoying it! So, I don't know what Grandma Tucker's name is, therefore I'm naming her. I think Charlotte is a good old lady name haha.)

"Come on, Randy. Just do it. That poor kid is probably sitting in that empty house just waiting for a push in the right direction. Call her," Sharon urged, irritation heavy in her voice. Her dip shit husband had been sitting at the kitchen table with his cell phone in hand for several minutes now. They'd already looked up Charlotte Tucker's name in the phone book, seeing as she was old and still had a landline.

"I will Sharon! God!" Randy snapped back, frustrated by his wife. The sun was setting now and Stan had been locked in his room for hours now while Shelly was at a friend's house. They definitely had the privacy they needed for the conversation. Still, he felt very uneasy and Sharon could see it. She let out a defeated sigh, realizing she was going to have to be a little more supportive if this was going to happen, despite the fact she resented him having a child with another woman more than she could begin to express.

"Look, Randy…this kid needs you. Whether or not either of us likes it he _is _your son. You have to do this."

Randy fiddled a bit with the phone in his hand before vulnerably meeting his wife's gaze.

"What if he hates me? I mean, I was never there for him, Sharon. What if he doesn't even _want _to come stay with us? He does have his grandma…"

"Yes, but he probably has no idea how welcome he is and it might help him make a decision."

He looked at her for a little longer before continuing.

"You know he's a huge trouble maker at school, too. This isn't going to be easy. He's going to need a lot of guidance; a lot more than I think Diane or Thomas ever gave him."

Sharon nodded, "yes, and we're going to do that for him Randy because he's your responsibility. You made him, you can't ignore it any longer."

Randy swallowed hard before averting his eyes back to the phone. He rubbed his thumb along it for a few more awkward seconds before letting out a sigh and punching in Charlotte's number. His stomach ached as he waited for her to answer.

"_Charlotte Tucker speaking_," her shaky, aged voice greeted.

Randy took a second to find his voice, but managed, "Hello. This is Randy Marsh."

Sharon watched, also feeling a nervous pit in her stomach as she struggled to hear the conversation.

"_Oh. Hello._"

Randy's eyes were wide as he nervously stared at his wife, not sure what else to say. However, he was relieved to hear Charlotte continue.

"_You're calling about my grandson then?"_

Randy nodded as he spoke, "Yes. Yes that's why I'm calling."

Another pause. Fuck. This was so awkward.

"_I've already told him about you. He wasn't very happy about it, but I told him he could decide where to stay. As far as I know he's coming to stay with me tonight._"

"Um, yes. Well, that's what I called to talk to you about, actually. Uh, I was wondering what you would think about him coming to stay with us tonight?"

Randy felt a little sick as he waited for her response. She seemed to be trying to handle the situation as carefully as he was. Sharon's eyes were wide with curiosity as she tried to figure out what Charlotte had to say.

"_Well, I told him it was something he could decide for himself. If you want I can give you his cell phone number and you can ask him yourself. I won't be the middle man, if that's what you're asking. You do understand this boy needs a father, not a friend, right? He's got…problems. He needs structure and if you can't provide that then I think it's best you stay away..._"

"I can do that. I can provide that. Me and Sharon have a good family, Mrs. Tucker. We would be so happy to have Craig here…I…I never got a chance to get to know him and I really want to help."

Sharon and Randy were both a little surprised at how eagerly he spoke. Shit. He meant it. He really did want to help this kid; this kid he barely knew; this kid who was, despite all the negativity it came with, his son.

"_Well…okay then. Do you have a pen? I will give you his number_."

Sharon's eyes were fixated on her husband as he eagerly grabbed a pen and paper.

"Go ahead."

She watched, an envious pit in her stomach as she watched her husband scribble something down. It was a phone number, which she assumed was Craig's, given Randy's end of the conversation.

"Thank you so much Charlotte. I will ask him to call you and let you know what he decides and, if he wants to stay here, I'll stay in contact with you, okay?"

"_You're welcome. I think he will give you a chance, Randy. He's a good boy, he really is._"

Randy nodded to himself before smiling fondly and hanging up the phone. Sharon eyed him expectantly.

"Well…what's going on?"

"She said she told him he could decide and that I should call him."

Sharon glanced at the number before returning her gaze to Randy.

"Are you going to call him?"

Randy's thumb trailed the surface of the phone again, his nerves racing even worse than before. The idea of talking to a son he'd abandoned made him feel like he couldn't breathe.

"Yeah…yeah I am."

Sharon swallowed, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs. She put her hand to her mouth and chewed on her nails a bit, also growing increasingly nervous. As angry as she was with her husband she knew it would destroy him if that kid denied him. He had always been very paternal; she couldn't imagine how much it must've killed him to deny Craig in the first place. Despite everything, Randy had _always_ been a caring father with their children; even if he wasn't always doing the right thing.

Randy sucked in a considerable amount of air before punching in Craig's number and lifting his phone to his ear. It felt like an eternity before he answered but, much to Randy's relentless fear, he did.

"_Hello_?" Craig's nasally voice answered. He hadn't heard his voice since he was eight or nine, seeing as he wasn't in Stan's social circle. It was odd.

"Hi…uh…is this Craig?"

"_Yeah. Who's asking_?" he demanded, sounding somewhat cautious and irritated. Randy couldn't help but feel like he was already on the road to alienating this kid. He had no idea how to interact with him; he clearly wasn't as friendly as Stan was.

"This is Randy Marsh."

He felt a violent rush of pain hit his stomach as a long silence ensued. Sharon reached out and grabbed his hand in an effort to comfort him. His hand was shaking beneath hers, which somewhat broke her heart.

"_Oh. Uh…hi._"

Randy let out a long, sizeable breath before answering, almost sounding somewhat relieved.

"Hi."

Another intense silence.

"_So what do you want then_?"

"Well, uh, I wanted to talk to you. You know, uh, let you know that if you wanted me and Sharon…that's my wife…would really love for you to come and stay with us tonight, if you want."

Fuck. He was rambling and being awkward. This kid probably hated him. However, he was surprised as all hell as his newly found son answered somewhat casually.

"_Yeah. Sure. Whatever. I'll be there in like two hours. I'm out with a girl._"

"Oh, you have a girlfriend? Good. Cool. Yeah, come over after you're done with her then," Randy spat out awkwardly, causing Sharon to pinch the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes. A stressed look crossed his face as he saw his wife's negative reaction. Apparently that wasn't the right thing for a father to say. He wasn't sure what to do though. Normally when he asked Stan to do something he would just do it.

"_No. I don't have a girlfriend. I have girls that I do stuff with. But fine, I'll be there after. I have to get some shit from my house too._"

"Oh…well…if you want me and Sharon can meet you at the house and help you? We have a truck."

"_I'm not moving in with you. I'm staying tonight. I don't even know if I like you or not._"

Randy felt the slightest bit of heartache at that statement.

"Oh, right. Of course. Yes…well, we'll see you in two hours then. So…nine o' clock…on the dot, right? Because I will be really worried if you're not here by then you know?"

"_Yeah. Nine. Sure. Whatever. I gotta go, alright_?"

"Okay, okay. I will see you at nine then. Bye."

"_Yeah, later_."

Randy let out a small whimper as he set his phone down on the table. He looked entirely defeated, which caused Sharon to stand up and sit herself into his lap. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head atop her breasts. He always felt comforted when she held him like that.

"He's coming?"

"Yeah. He's coming. I think he hates me though," he whined.

Sharon rubbed his back before placing a kiss on his head, "I'm sure he doesn't. He just doesn't know you. Give him some time."

Randy nodded before leaning his head back to meet his wife's eyes.

"We need to tell Stan and Shelly before he gets here."

Sharon nodded in agreement before standing herself up.

"I'll call Shelly and tell her to come home. You go get Stan."

Randy stood up before giving his wife a kiss on the cheek as she pulled her phone out.

"What was that for?" she asked, a little caught off guard. They didn't exchange affections very often anymore. He looked her over lovingly.

"Because. I love you. Thank you for being supportive."

Sharon's face melted into understanding before she pinched his arm lightly, "Oh, Randy. We've been together forever…this happened a long time ago. So, we have to pick up the pieces now. It's really okay. We'll be fine."

Randy smiled warmly at her before pinching her arm back lightly and leaving the room to get Stan. His stomach continued to ache as he walked up the stairs, however, as he realized telling Stan might even be harder than having to bring Craig in the house in the first place. He was going to be so disappointed in him; that thought killed him. He and Stan had developed a very close relationship very early on in his childhood. It was a bond that had lasted a lifetime and, as he realized he was going to have to break this news, he sort of felt like he could lose that; it frightened him beyond words.

He held his breath as he knocked on Stan's door, stepping back as he waited for him to answer.

"What's up Dad?" Stan asked, smiling as he answered.

"Hey…your mother and I want you to come down stairs. We have something to talk with you and your sister about."

Stan's smile immediately left his handsome face, replaced with imminent concern. It had to be something serious if they were calling his sister home.

"Dad…is everyone okay? Just tell me now."

"Don't worry, son. Everyone's alive and well…it's nothing like that. We just have something important to talk to you about. It's not necessarily bad, I promise you."

Stan breathed out a sigh of relief before smirking at his dad.

"Alright…" he said as he stepped out of his room.

Randy smiled at him before putting his arm around his shoulder and leading him down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom they were greeted by Sharon, angry as all hell.

"Did Shelly freak out about coming home?" Stan asked, relishing in the fact that his sister was being a little bitch. She would fly into these ridiculous rages and he found it entirely amusing because it just furthered his status as the favorite.

"Ugh…she's ridiculous. Just because she's an 'adult' now she thinks she can do whatever she wants! Well, I've got news for her! If we didn't give her a car and pay for her school she would be absolutely nowhere! Ungrateful little…"

She muttered the rest of it under her breath, knowing it was frowned upon to call her own daughter a bitch. Stan and Randy both smirked, knowing damn well what she was saying.

Stan shook his head with amusement before plopping down on the couch and flicking the TV on, pleased to see some really old re-runs of Terrance and Phillip on. Randy glanced towards the kitchen, assuring his wife wasn't paying attention before also taking a seat. He secretly enjoyed this show too, though he wasn't about to let Sharon know that.

He and Stan watched, laughing at the same old fart jokes as they went on. Watching Terrance and Phillip together had been a father-son activity they'd indulged in since he was very young, mostly because they knew Sharon didn't approve. It sort of put them into their own little space that only they understood, which meant a great deal to the both of them. However, after a little bit of time Stan found himself wanting to talk.

"I haven't heard from Wendy, like, at all today," he said, a small amount of stress in his voice.

Randy looked towards him, realizing his son was bothered.

"When did you last hear from her?"

"Well…I _did _hear from her. She told me she was sick, but it was weird. She just dipped from school early and she didn't let me know. She _never _does stuff like that. I dunno…it was just weird. It's been bugging me."

Randy nodded. That really didn't sound like Wendy from what he knew of their relationship. They always talked all day long; Randy actually would get jealous of how much of Stan's attention she took at times.

"Well, I dunno. Maybe she's sleeping. If she's really sick she probably just wants to rest," he offered.

Stan nodded, "yeah. You're probably right. I'm probably just being a crazy, jealous boyfriend."

Randy nodded, feeling his nerves start to race again. Jesus, Stan was going to hate him for this.

As if on cue, Shelly stormed into the house, a seriously pissed off look on her face.

"Alright, I'm here, Mom!" she shouted angrily as she strode over to the couch and plopped down, forcing Randy to stand up. Christ she'd turned out to be a raging monster.

"Goddamnit Shelly!" Sharon shouted, about to go off on a rant. However, she managed to stop herself when she saw Randy's pleading face. He just wanted to get this over with.

Sharon let out a shaky, frustrated sigh as she struggled to get her anger under control. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and walking to her husband's side to present a united front.

"Okay, obviously you're father and I have something very important to tell you," she began, eyeing Shelly the entire time. Stan smirked at his sister arrogantly before turning his attention back to his parents.

"What is it then?" Shelly asked, a small sweetness creeping into her voice as she looked at her father. She would do that pretty often; have enormous outbursts and then be cute as a button. Stan's demeanor immediately changed, giving Shelly an enormous amount of pleasure.

"Knock it off, guys," Randy suddenly instructed, catching the both of them off guard; he had their attention.

"Wow…what is it?" Shelly asked, realizing the situation was serious.

Randy's breathing slowed as he struggled to get his heart under control. He was so goddamn nervous; he was about to lose the respect of both of his children and there wasn't a thing in the world he could do about it.

"Now, when mommy and daddy were young, back before you were born Stan, we had a little rough patch…"

"…Yes, we were having a hard time with our marriage and with Shelly being so young we were just…overwhelmed," Sharon interrupted, wanting to help him out.

Randy smiled at her warmly before putting his arm around her. She also put her arm around his waist, wanting to show her children that what he did wasn't going to put a strain on their marriage now.

"So, during this time, I sort of…made a mistake."

Stan and Shelly stared, confusion in their eyes. Stan, however, comprehended what was being said a little quicker, seeing as he was a guy. He knew where this was headed.

"Okay…you had an affair then? Is that what you're trying to tell us?" he spat out, not looking amused.

Randy squeezed Sharon closer, fear on his face. Fuck. Stan was _already _pissed at him.

"Uh, yes. Yes, Stan I did."

"Are you guys getting a divorce or something?" Shelly asked, a little shocked.

"No, no, nothing like that," Sharon spoke up, still trying to move the conversation along peacefully.

"Well, okay, then why are you telling us this?" Stan asked, genuinely confused.

Randy bit his lower lip before continuing, realizing the time to be blunt had arrived.

"Because, Stan…Shelly…during this time, when I had my affair, I accidentally got this woman pregnant. You guys have a brother and he's coming to stay with us for a while…"

Sharon patted her husband's chest reassuringly as she eyed her children. It broke both of their hearts to see their children struggling to process this information.

"What! Where is he going to stay? I'm not sharing my room, if that's what you think!" Shelly spat out, seeming to miss the overall point of the conversation.

Stan, however, was more direct.

"Do I know this kid? I mean…he must go to school with us, right?"

"Yes. Yes, Stan, you do."

Stan's eyes were wide with exasperation. Jesus, it was like pulling teeth!

"Well, who is it then?" he demanded, growing further frustrated.

Sharon leaned forward, realizing she had to answer.

"Craig Tucker. Craig Tucker is your brother."

Stan's blue eyes widened. Really? That asshole!

"Who the hell is that?" Shelly asked, irritated as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"He's this fucking douchebag I go to school with, that's who!" Stan retorted, thoroughly pissed off by this point.

"Seriously, dad! Of all the kids you could've fathered it had to be that asshole!"

"Stanley Marsh!" Sharon hollered in attempt to get her son under control. She could tell Randy was about to lose it if Stan went on.

"No! This is bullshit! Fuck! No way I'm sharing a room with Craig, that's for sure!" He said as he stood up abruptly.

Shelly stood up too, enjoying the fact that she and her brother could form a united front at this point.

"Yeah! Fuck this bullshit! Why should we have to share our house with some bastard kid of yours?"

"Watch your mouths, both of you!" Sharon shouted, letting go of Randy and stepping towards the kids. She wasn't about to let them talk to them that way.

Shelly rolled her eyes before crossing her arms over her chest and looking at her parents, entirely unimpressed.

Stan, on the other hand, had his fists balled up at his sides as he shook with aggravation. He was angry enough that his father could do something like this to all of them but, really, it _had _to be Craig fucking Tucker.

"Now," Sharon went on, having her kids quieted, "neither of you have to share a room. We're going to clear out your father's little 'man cave' and put a bed in there if Craig decides to stay with us. Stan, you only have to share a room with him for tonight, okay?"

Stan rolled his eyes before plopping back down on the couch, scoffing at his parents angrily. Shelly took a small amount of amusement in his displeasure, so she smiled sweetly.

"Okay, that's fine. I'm going to go freshen up before our new brother gets here. Hopefully he's cooler than this douche," she said as she glanced at Stan.

Stan glared at her but made no attempt to retort seeing as he was genuinely pissed about the situation. Shelly never really gave a damn about anything so long as it didn't inconvenience her social life. Stan, on the other hand, really cared a lot about the state of his family and found himself worried.

"Mom, Dad…Craig's an asshole. I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true. He's going to rip this family apart if you let him stay with us…please, don't let him stay," he begged, staring at his father pleadingly.

"Stan…come on. This is very unlike you, sweetie," Sharon stated, genuinely surprised by her son's behavior.

She was right, though. Stan had always been a very accepting and loving person; it was very out of character for him to fight so hard against helping another. However, this was Craig fucking Tucker. He'd hated him since they were kids, despite the unreasonable protective nature he'd had for him. It made sense now. He hated him, but he'd wanted to keep him safe instinctually; probably because he was his fucking brother.

Nonetheless, his mom had gotten under his skin so he let out a regretful sigh.

"Fine. Can I at least invite Kyle over? It'll make it easier for me."

Sharon and Randy looked at each other before Randy responded.

"Yes, of course."

Stan nodded before standing himself up.

"Can I go back to my room?"

Randy had a profound look of sadness across his face.

"Yes, go ahead."

Stan started to walk away, however, he paused at the stairs before turning to look at his saddened father.

"I love you."

Randy smiled at him sheepishly, "I love you too, Stan."

Stan looked at him for a moment longer before nodding his head and disappearing up the stairs. Sharon rubbed Randy's shoulder as he pulled her in for a cuddle.

…

"That was Randy?" Wendy asked. He had driven her home only to find her parents were out at a party for the evening, so she'd invited him into the living room for a soda.

"Yeah…he wants me to come and stay with them tonight."

Wendy nodded as she brought his drink over to him, sitting beside him on the couch. She couldn't help but admire him. He had such pleasing features with those crystal blue eyes, black hair that fell over them, thin face with rounded cheeks. He was beautiful, really.

"And you're going to?"

He nodded as he held his drink in his hands, staring down at it. Wendy felt a pang of sympathy for him. What an awkward situation.

"Well…look at it this way. It's something new. It might not necessarily be bad."

Craig smirked before tilting his head back and downing some of the delightfully bubbly drink.

"Yeah…maybe," he said as he shrugged. He was fixated on his lap, not having the courage to look her in the eye while he was feeling so vulnerable. He wanted nothing more than to just drop off of the grid; he didn't want to stay with the Marsh's or his grandmother. He just wanted to disappear and start a new life absent of anyone he used to know. Well…everyone except for Wendy that was. He swallowed hard as he finally looked up, meeting her beautiful eyes.

She watched curiously as he opened his mouth to say something and, apparently, thought better of himself. He smirked and let out a small laugh before averting his eyes once more.

"What is it?" she asked, knowing damn well he was going to say something of importance.

He furrowed his brow, biting his lower lip. He wanted to tell her how she was the only person in the world that was keeping him there; he wanted to tell her how he would give anything in the world just to fucking hold her hand and call her his; to tell her how he'd settle for so much less than sex; to tell her how he wanted, more than anything in the entire fucking universe, to make her his own. Of course, he couldn't so he said this instead:

"Do you, uh, want to get high with me?"

Wendy's eyes widened a bit; she was very taken aback.

"What? Seriously? That's what you were going to say to me?"

He smiled at her playfully, relieved to have lightened the mood. He really didn't want to deal with all of this serious bullshit anyway.

"Yeah…please? It would help a lot if I could get high before I went over there…"

Wendy stared at him, a dumbfounded look on her face. However, despite the fact she'd never smoked and never planned to, she really wanted to connect with Craig. Was she really willing to sacrifice her morals for this guy? Then again, was she really as much of a prude as she'd made herself out to be all of these years, or was she that way to please Stan? Suddenly, she smiled at him, intrigued by this crazy, dangerous boy she had in her house.

"Yeah…okay, fine."

Craig widened his eyes and smiled broadly, "really? Damn…you're full of surprises Wendy Testaburger. You really are," he said as he pulled his pipe from his pocket and set his drink on the coffee table. She watched curiously as he leaned over and grabbed a small container of weed from his backpack and started packing the pipe. Once finished he grabbed a lighter from his other pocket and faced Wendy.

"Okay…so…I'm going to light it and hold my thumb over this hole. Then, once I've got enough smoke built up I'm going to take away the fire, let go of the hole and inhale it, alright? It's really easy."

"Okay," she said, reaching out. However, he held up his hand and stopped her, smirking playfully.

"Or…" he started, causing her to drop her hands and stare at him, "you can shot gun me. I'll inhale and then blow it into your mouth."

"What? Oh no…I'm not doing that. I don't think Stan would appreciate that."

Craig shook his head, laughing a bit.

"What?" she asked, somewhat offended.

"Nothing…it's just that…Stan wouldn't appreciate any of this. It's not a kiss…just let me do it. I think it'll be easier for you."

She raised one of her eyebrows, "I know it's not a kiss, but how do I know you won't kiss me anyway?"

Craig held his pinky up, indicating a 'pinky promise'. She rolled her eyes, though locked pinkies with him anyway. However, before he let go he added one more condition.

"Unless, of course, you kiss me, in which case I'll be forced to return the favor…as a gentleman and all."

Wendy rolled her eyes before laughing a bit. God…he was so charming. He smirked at her before holding up the pipe and putting it to his lips. She watched intently as he burned it and inhaled a sizeable amount of smoke. As he held it in he put his hand beneath her chin and leaned forward. She could feel her heart start to race as he placed his lips atop hers, both of their mouths slightly opened as she lightly sucked the smoke out of his mouth. Once she'd inhaled it he backed off, keeping his end of the bargain. She held it in for a moment, looking at him with wide eyes.

He chuckled a bit.

"Go ahead, let it out now."

She slowly let it out of her mouth, surprised that she hadn't coughed. Perhaps shot gunning was a good idea. However, she found herself disappointed.

"I don't feel anything," she admitted, rubbing her arm.

Craig smiled at her warmly, gesturing for her to come closer.

She leaned in a bit as he took another hit. However, much to her surprise, he lifted her up and placed her on his lap. She was straddling him, though she made no attempt to move as he put his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her face close, once again opening his mouth for her to take in the drug.

She felt her stomach ache with desire as he slid his hand from her neck, trailing down her spine until he reached the small of her back, pulling her in close. She did her best not to whimper as she held the smoke in, blowing it out slowly.

"It'll take a little bit," he said, though he was already starting to feel pretty fucking light headed. He loved the feeling of being high; it made him forget the bullshit if only for a while. He was pleased to see the inhibitions washing away from Wendy's face, though he would keep his promise. He had no plans of taking advantage of her.

"I think I'm starting to feel it a little bit," she said, noting that the room almost seemed darker or lighter…something was different.

He smiled at her warmly, setting the pipe down and placing both of his hands on her hips. She was wearing another one of those cute little frilly skirts.

"Behave yourself," she insisted, though she seemed a little loopy.

"I am, beautiful. Don't worry…you're safe with me," he assured, though he couldn't help but rub the outsides of her thighs. Her warm skin felt so alluring beneath his hands. He could tell he was exciting her, despite the fact he knew this would come of nothing; not tonight anyway.

She looked him over, placing her hands on his shoulders as she spoke.

"Do you feel a little better now?"

He nodded, "yeah."

She smiled at him affectionately.

"You think you can do this?"

He let out a sigh, still rubbing her thighs, though much less seductively. Things were taking a turn back towards the friend zone, which he accepted graciously.

"Yeah…I think I can."

She sat atop him for a few more seconds before attempting to get off. However, he gently nudged her hips back down, causing her to look at him in confusion.

"One more hit before I go?"

She smirked at him, clearly a little more daring now that she was high.

"Alright."

He joyously lit up another hit, grabbing her sides just under her breasts and pulling her in, pressing his lips a little more firmly against hers. He could feel her heart beating and the excitement in her body as he did so, which made it that much harder to control himself. She sucked in the intoxicating smoke once more, pressing her hands to the sides of his head as she did so. As much as they both wanted, they still didn't lock lips, each of them reluctantly pulling their faces away. She leaned her head back, exposing her throat as she blew the air out, her breasts pushed closer to his face.

He let out a small, frustrated whimper as he abruptly reached down, sliding his hands under her shirt and grabbing her beneath the breasts, pulling her close again. Their noses were touching as they stared at each other, breathing erratically as they both felt their warm blood pulsating throughout their most sensitive of areas. She started to breathe very heavily atop him. However, before things could go too far she blinked, breaking their stare and bringing them both to their senses.

"Uh…" she stammered as she pushed his hands out from beneath her shirt and hopped off of his lap. She stood up and brushed her skirt off, looking at him with wide eyes. He was about to apologize, but she spoke first.

"Get to Stan's safely…give him my love."

He nodded, a heavy disappointment settling in his stomach as he lazily got off of the couch, shoving his paraphernalia into his backpack. She watched as he gathered his things, a significant guilt settling over her. He started to walk towards the door when she spoke once more, causing him to turn and look at her.

"By the way…I was sick, if he asks."

He nodded as she went on.

"And…next time we do something like this…I'll be sick too."

He smiled at her warmly, realizing she was insinuating this had a possibility of progressing. She returned the sentiment.

"Now, go on…get out," she said playfully, turning to walk away.

He shook his head as he continued to smile, exiting her home with the slightest glimmer of hope.


	6. Chapter 6

It Could Be You

Chapter 6

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you so much! Sorry for the delay…damn work getting in the way of my writing!)

Randy was practically coming out of his skin. It was already eleven o' clock at night and Craig still hadn't arrived. He had tried calling him several times with no luck. Where was he? Was he alright? He literally felt like he could vomit, even though he hadn't really legitimately met the kid. Hell, he didn't even really know what he looked like. Still, he was his son and he had said he'd arrive two hours earlier.

"Randy, maybe we should just go to bed. He probably just went to Charlotte's house," Sharon sighed, very aware of the fact she had to get up early for work.

"No…I can't. I'm too stressed," he sighed, running his hand through his hair. He had already sent Stan and Kyle to bed, warning them that they'd better sleep for school. Shelly had disappeared to her room on her own having no desire to wait around for some kid she didn't know.

Sharon nodded at him, reaching out and gripping his hand.

"Well, maybe you should try and call him one more time?" she offered, doing her best to be supportive. She wasn't overly happy about waiting up for her husband's parentless love-child to arrive, but she didn't have much choice. Her husband really needed her and she had to help.

Randy let out a troubled sigh before pulling his phone out of his pocket. Sharon couldn't help but see the fear and nervousness on his face as he scrolled through his contacts. However, before he could dial Craig's number there was a knock at the door, causing each of them to draw in deep breaths. They remained this way for just a few seconds before Sharon turned to look at her fearful husband. She grabbed his hand once more, squeezing reassuringly. He quickly turned his attention to her, doing his best to toss an awkward smile her direction.

"Come on, it'll be okay," she urged, standing up.

Randy held onto her hand, almost feeling as though he were shaking, as he allowed her to lead him into the living room. Once they arrived at the door Sharon stepped aside, allowing her husband to answer it. Randy drew in another breath, hoping it would help to keep his bearings. Unfortunately it didn't too much for his nerves as he cautiously opened the door.

Sharon watched curiously as Randy's face immediately showed shock and awe. Unable to contain herself, she peaked around the door to see. She couldn't help but gasp just the slightest bit as she looked the strange kid over. Jesus H. Christ. He looked _so _much like Randy it was uncanny. How had no one noticed this before? Especially Stan?

"Uh, hey…" Craig offered as he struggled to provide a smile. It was weak, but he did manage.

Randy opened his mouth a bit, wanting with all his heart to respond. However, he found himself utterly paralyzed. Sharon quickly noticed and jumped to her husband's side.

"Hello, Craig. I'm Sharon and this is Randy, as I'm sure you know. Come on in," she quickly interjected, hoping to alleviate some of the tension.

Craig nodded before letting out a sizeable yawn. Sharon grabbed Randy's arm and pulled him off to the side, allowing Craig to enter their home. Once inside he dropped his backpack to the ground beside the stairs, stretching his arms above his head. Randy and Sharon both noticed that he was significantly taller than most kids his age, accompanied with a thin lanky frame. Oddly enough, he looked very much like Randy did when he was in high school, which sort of made Sharon uncomfortable. Why did this child he had with someone else look so much like him? Why didn't Stan take after him this much? She noted a pit of jealousy as she thought about it.

"So where am I sleeping then?" Craig suddenly asked as he turned to face the Marsh's.

They both stared at him awkwardly for a second, a little taken aback by his casual demeanor. Didn't he care that he was meeting his father for the first time? Did he give a shit that he basically had an entire family he knew nothing about?

As the two of them struggled to comprehend what was happening, Craig was quietly struggling with his own demons. He hadn't been able to go into his house. He was unable to grab clothes, pillows, blankets…anything really. He'd driven over there and basically gotten blitzed out of his mind in the driveway. He just couldn't do it; facing that house alone was _not _an option, despite how much he wanted it to seem it was. Not to mention that, after dealing with that troubling issue, he had to come and stay the night with Stan's asshole family. Sure, there definitely was a small part of him that was curious about Randy, being that he was his father and all, but there was also this really significant part of him that wanted to avoid this whole charade. He knew the entire experience was going to be forced and fake, so why even bother? There was no way in Hell that family could love him like he was their own because, quite frankly, he wasn't. Stan and his bitch sister were theirs; not him. Whatever. It didn't matter. He was high as a fucking kite so he knew he could at least get through the night.

"Uh, well, we figured that for tonight you could share Stan's room. Kyle is over, too, so the space is a little limited. We set up a blow up mattress in there for you, though, so you should be comfortable," Randy stammered, wanting to provide this rather distant child some form of stability.

Craig nodded, his crystal blue eyes scanning the living room around him as he went on, entirely uncaring, "and if I decide to stay longer?"

Randy swallowed hard, a little surprised that this kid even considered that an option. He'd sounded almost adamant against it on the phone earlier. Sharon quickly answered, knowing Randy was trying to process the situation and figure out this weird kid.

"If you stay we are going to buy you a bed and clear out Randy's man cave for you. You can decorate it however you want…it'll be yours."

Craig let out another yawn, seeming like he was bored and uninterested in the situation.

"Alright, cool. Where can I smoke?" he asked, pulling his pack of cigarettes out and placing one in his mouth. Sharon and Randy were both a little shocked as they stared at this ballsy young man standing before them. Jesus; Stan had never done anything like that. They weren't entirely sure how to handle these things. However, much to Sharon's surprise, Randy spoke up.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable allowing you to smoke. At least not under my roof."

They both eyed Craig, waiting anxiously to see how he would respond. They were both surprised as he shrugged and placed the cigarette back into its box, tossing it towards them. Randy caught it before they continued to stare at him.

"Yeah, okay, whatever. Stan's room is upstairs? I'm tired anyway."

They watched quietly as he grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder and looked at them expectantly. Sharon was the first to respond.

"Yes, he's upstairs. Go ahead and get some rest. We'll see you tomorrow after school?"

Craig shrugged, "yeah okay. I'm not promising I'll stay though."

Randy and Sharon both nodded, trying to be sensitive due to the nature of the situation. They would've never allowed Stan to be so, well, arrogant really. Craig was very unfamiliar territory, however, and they both wanted to take a little time to get to know him before trying to correct any bad habits he may have.

"Okay. Goodnight then," Randy offered, not sure of what else he should say.

Craig nodded towards them before heading up the stairs, not bothering to look back. As he climbed the unfamiliar stairs he couldn't help but feel a little sick to his stomach. Surprisingly, meeting Randy and Sharon wasn't the part of his night he was dreading. Sure, meeting his father for the first time since he'd become aware of their relationship was difficult and awkward, but trying to hang out with Stan was a whole other ballgame. At least Sharon and Randy hadn't already made up their minds that they hated him; though that was just a matter of time away. Stan, on the other hand, loathed his very existence and he knew it. Still, he didn't have much choice in the matter, so he reached Stan's room and slowly opened the door, a little disappointed to find he and Kyle awake.

"What are you fags doing?" he asked as he entered, doing his best to be casual.

"Shut the door, asshole," Stan demanded, though he didn't sound overly pissed.

Craig rolled his eyes, though he complied. Once the door was shut he dropped his backpack beside it and plopped onto the air mattress in the middle of the floor, his hands behind his head and his ankles crossed.

"So, you two butt fuckers are sharing a bed, right? Because I'm not planning on sharing."

Stan gritted his teeth. Who the fuck did he think he was walking into his room and talking to him like that? However, before he could lose his cool on him, Kyle placed his hand on his shoulder. He quickly tore his eyes off of Craig, struggling to control himself. He had to try and make nice with this asshole for his dad's sake, even if he was mad at him. Craig watched, somewhat amused at the obvious fact he'd gotten under Stan's skin. He was very aware he could get away with a minor amount of torment because of Stan's love for his father and his father's needs. Perhaps this would be mildly entertaining after all.

"Yeah, we're sharing a bed," Kyle responded, doing his best to ignore the unwarranted insults.

Craig smirked at them, watching with quiet curiosity as Kyle nudged Stan off of the bed and started making it. He felt the smallest amount of regret for having come in with guns blazing like that. Perhaps he should've eased himself into the situation and at least made an attempt at getting along with Stan? After all, they were brothers, right? Shouldn't they have some sort of unspoken loyalty to each other? Like, the way he and his sister had?

He cringed at the thought, his eyes still locked on Kyle as he suddenly started to drift off.

_"No, no…like this sissy," he said happily as he took the paint brush from his little sister's petite hands. She was just a few years younger than him, but he still felt very protective of her. She was the only one in his entire family he harbored a soft spot for. Sure, he loved his mother and father, but he always did his best to put up a front full of uncaring. However, his sister had always been above all that. He simply adored everything about her and, at that moment, she needed his help with performing a particular technique in a painting she was working on._

_ "I know! That's what I was trying to do!" she protested. However, her hot headed outburst was quickly replaced by a silent fascination as she watched her brother filling in the hair on a self portrait she was working on. He couldn't help but notice her change in demeanor, causing him to stop painting and smile broadly towards her._

_ "What? What is it? Stop looking at me like that!" she demanded, though she wasn't pissed anymore. _

_ "Nothing. Look, here, try it," he said happily as he placed the paintbrush back into her petite hands._

_ She rolled her eyes before letting out a doubtful sigh, looking towards him mockingly._

_ "Yeah, okay, fine. I suck at this though."_

_ Craig shook his head as he watched her hesitantly place the brush onto paper, doing her best to mimic what he'd done. It took a few seconds for her to realize it but, much to her own surprise, she'd mastered it just like that._

_ "Oh shit…that looks pretty good," she admitted, stopping and smiling warmly towards her brother._

_ Craig returned the sentiment before reaching out and tossling her hair affectionately. She whined in protest, however, once he stopped she quieted._

_ "Love ya, sis," he said fondly before standing up and taking off towards his room. _

_ She rolled her eyes to herself before flipping him the bird behind his back, "yeah love you too, dick face."_

_ Craig flipped her off as well, though he didn't bother to turn around; he didn't want her to see the huge fucking grin he had painted on his face._

"Craig? Hello? Are you in there asshole!" Stan demanded, causing him to snap out of his thoughts immediately.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry," he apologized, realizing he wasn't at home. He wasn't with his sister. He wasn't with his family. He wasn't with anyone and he never would be again. Fuck, he wanted to vomit.

Stan and Kyle looked at each other, both of them almost feeling guilty for being so irritated with his presence. It was almost like they'd both forgotten why he had come. Stan eyed Kyle for a second, guilt washing over his face as he let out a sigh.

"Hey, Craig, if you need to talk about anything we're here for you," Stan offered sheepishly.

Craig, in a moment of weakness, looked towards him. He seemed to be in a daze as he spoke, catching Kyle and Stan completely off guard.

"Yeah, okay. Thanks…" he said quietly.

A long, awkward silence passed between the three of them before Kyle grabbed a folded blanket off of Stan's bed and handed it to him. Stan took it, not really wanting to give it to Craig. However, Kyle shot him a look, insisting he did with his eyes. Stan bit his lower lip briefly before mustering up the courage to try and hand it to the kid spacing out on his floor.

"Hey Craig…here's a blanket, you want it?" he offered, trying to pull him out of his head.

Craig held up his hand, not bothering to look at Stan. Stan was not entirely thrilled about it, but he decided to comply just this once. After all, he might not even come back after this night and, if he did, at least they wouldn't be sharing a room. He rolled his eyes before tossing the blanket at Craig, allowing it to land on his face rather than in his hand. He fully expected Craig to lash out at him for it but he didn't; instead he just quietly wrapped it around himself before rolling over and closing his eyes. Little did Stan or Kyle know that, as he turned away from them, he couldn't stop quiet tears from escaping his blue eyes while thoughts of his darling little sister danced around in his mind. Fuck. He missed his family more than he could possibly describe and, much to his disappointment, the drugs weren't keeping them at bay.

Stan eyed his half-brother for a second, unsure of why he felt a sudden and strong urge to comfort him. However, he ignored his instinct and simply crawled into bed with Kyle, lying on his back with his hands behind his head. Kyle was laying on his side, whispering softly to his best friend.

"Do you think he's okay?"

Stan shrugged, not entirely sure what to do. Plus, he was a little worried Craig might overhear them talking. Kyle immediately picked up on it and let out a sigh.

"Hang in there dude. It's all going to be okay," Kyle assured before rolling over, his back facing his best friend.

Stan let out a sigh. No. No it wasn't going to be okay. Nothing was going to be okay. Life as he knew it was about to change and he couldn't be sure what it would mean for him and his family.


	7. Chapter 7

It Could Be You

Chapter 07

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Yay! I new chapter! I took a small hiatus after finishing up my last story because it was so long and taxing! I'm working on this one again, though. Hope it was worth the wait! Thanks for reading!)

"Hey…hey come on, wake up asshole!" Stan demanded as he nudged Craig. He'd slept through the alarm so he was trying to wake him for school.

"Jesus Christ he sleeps like a fucking rock…" Stan complained as he looked towards Kyle, almost a little worried.

"Dude, is he alive?" Kyle asked, somewhat joking as he walked over to investigate.

Stan shrugged, "sure. He probably just got super high before he came over last night. I mean, he seemed really out of it, don't you think?"

Kyle also shrugged, "I dunno. I don't really hang out with him. What's he normally like?"

Stan scratched the back of his head and chuckled a bit, "normally he's a big, loud mouthed, obnoxious douche. Last night he was kind of…I dunno…subdued?"

Kyle nodded in agreement, "you're right. He was probably just high. Hey! Craig! Wake up!"

Stan couldn't help but laugh as Kyle knelt down and started shaking their guest violently, causing his eyes to shoot open.

"What the fuck!? Jesus fucking Christ!" he hollered out as he shoved Kyle away from him, who was laughing hysterically.

Stan continued to laugh along with his best friend while Craig struggled to focus his eyes and figure out where the fuck he was and what the fuck was going on. After several seconds of overwhelming laughter and light he managed to zero in on Stan and Kyle, remembering he'd spent the night at the Marsh's. Fuck. He'd forgotten for the briefest moment that he wasn't going to wake up to his family. For whatever reason, Stan suddenly noticed Craig's disappointment, causing his laughter to slow. Kyle caught on pretty quickly as well, so they silenced before Stan scratched his arm uncomfortably.

"Sorry, dude. You were sleeping pretty heavy. We have to get ready for school."

Craig furrowed his brow, looking towards the clock on Stan's nightstand. It was quite a bit earlier than he was used to waking for school.

"Why so early?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting himself upwards.

"Because," Stan explained as he slid his jacket on. He and Kyle had gotten up earlier to shower and ready themselves before Craig so he could sleep in, "I'm picking up Wendy this morning. We trade off every day to save gas."

Wendy? Awesome. He hadn't counted on getting to see her beautiful face first thing in the morning. However, despite his actual happiness with that statement, he had to play it off like he thought it was ridiculous. He rolled his eyes before yawning.

"Whatever. You guys are sickening," he said casually as he got out of bed, still fully dressed from the night before. It appeared he hadn't even brought any of his things, which somewhat concerned Stan. Wasn't he supposed to go home and get some stuff before coming over?

"Uh, do you have anything to change into?" he asked, noting that Craig only had his school backpack with him. Craig scratched the back of his head before grabbing his blue hat and tossing it on his head.

"No, it's cool. I usually go a few days without showering."

Kyle wrinkled his nose in disgust, though it didn't offend Stan nearly as much. He would occasionally skip a day here and there, though not very often because of Wendy. She would only have sex with him if he was washed.

"You don't even change your clothes?" Kyle asked, genuinely offended, which sort of amused both Craig and Stan.

"No. Nobody knows because I always have my jacket on anyway. Why? What's the big deal?"

Kyle scoffed at him, "it's fucking gross, dude, that's what."

Stan smirked as Kyle grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. Craig noticed Stan's amusement and stared at him, a little bewildered. Why did he think that was funny? Shouldn't he be, like, siding with Kyle? They were best friends, what the fuck did Craig matter to him?

Stan caught Craig's intrigued look, causing him to clear his throat.

"Uh, so…if you're not going to shower let's go then. Wendy is probably ready for us by now anyway."

Craig shrugged before bending over and pulling a can of Axe out of his backpack and dousing himself in it, causing both Stan and Kyle to wrinkle their noses. There was nothing worse than a smelly dude covering himself in Axe, but neither of them said a word. If that was how Craig liked to be then they had no right to protest; even if they had to share a car with him. Well, actually, perhaps they didn't.

"Are you going to ride with us or did you want to drive yourself?" Stan asked as the three of them started to head down the stairs.

Craig bit his lower lip. He'd hoped he wouldn't ask that. Of course he wanted to ride with them because then he could see Wendy, but he also didn't want them to know he wanted a ride. He was hoping it would just be assumed. Fuck.

After a long moment of silence Stan and Kyle both looked towards him, expecting some kind of answer. However, when it didn't come Kyle decided to speak up.

"You know, you don't have to act like you hate us all the time. If you want a ride just say so."

Craig furrowed his brow, "I don't _act _like I hate you guys. I _do _hate you guys. I'll drive myself," he huffed as he adjusted his backpack and forced his way past them, purposely knocking shoulders with Stan on his way out. Stan instinctively reached out and grabbed his collar, pulling their faces together. Kyle immediately got out of the way, realizing he wasn't going to be able to stop the two of them from fighting if they were going to.

Craig smirked at him, thoroughly amused at his attempt at dominance. If that was what he wanted to do then fine, but he was most certainly going to lose.

"Don't fuck with me, Tucker. I'll beat the shit out of you, I swear it!" Stan threatened through gritted teeth.

Craig rolled his eyes before continuing to smirk. After a few seconds with no further response, Stan decided to release him, a little surprised as he suddenly realized Randy was standing a few feet away from them.

"Dad? What're you doing home? Don't you have work?" Stan asked, a little flustered.

Randy eyed him warningly for a moment as he cautiously spoke, "yea, but I decided to go in late. I wanted to take you boys to school today."

Stan's eyes were wide with confusion as Randy also passed out three paper bags to each of them.

"I made you lunch, too," he said awkwardly before stepping backwards and putting his hands behind back, his fingers nervously writhing around one another as he waited for everyone's response.

"Oh, uh, thanks. But I told Wendy I would get her this morning," Stan suddenly remembered, though he felt bad rejecting his dad's offer for a ride.

"That's okay…I'll pick her up too. There's enough room," he said quickly. He really wanted to take them because he thought that if, maybe, he spent some more time with Craig he would want to stay. As he waited for a response he looked towards Craig. His newfound son had a very bewildered look on his face, though he didn't look as put off as Stan. As Craig and Randy looked each other over Stan and Kyle looked towards each other, a little surprised at the silent interaction between the two of them. Suddenly, Craig swallowed, a rare glimpse of empathy on his face as he spoke gently.

"Yeah, okay. I'd like a ride."

Stan and Kyle both looked towards him, shocked. However, he didn't bother to look at either of them. He was focused on Randy and, as much as he didn't want it, he was sort of intrigued by him.

"O…okay then," Randy stammered, reaching his hand into the pocket of his jeans and pulling his car keys out, "let's go."

Stan and Kyle both watched for a second, entirely stunned as Craig adjusted his backpack and followed his equally stunned father. However, a small amount of jealousy quickly settled in Stan's belly, causing him to follow after them. He'd be damned if Craig was going to be the compliant one with his father, especially because he knew that wasn't who he was at all. Craig was the most stubborn, obnoxious asshole he knew.

As they all loaded into the car, Craig immediately pulled his phone out and started texting, which somewhat intrigued Stan. However, he decided to ignore it and go ahead and make sure his dad knew where the Hell he was going.

"So you know where Wendy lives, right Dad?" he asked.

Randy started the car and glanced at his son in the rear view mirror.

"What's her address again? I haven't been over that way in a while," he admitted. Ever since Stan had started driving himself he hadn't bothered to worry about where he was. He was a young man; he could fend for himself if necessary. Still, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt over not knowing where his basically lifetime girlfriend lived. Perhaps Craig wasn't the only one he'd been neglecting.

"She lives on the corner of Holly and River," he responded, not really paying any mind to the fact that Randy didn't know. He didn't take any offense to it. His mom had always been the one who did all of the worrying about where he was and what he was doing, so he didn't really think it was Randy's job to know where he was in the first place. There certainly weren't any hard feelings over it.

Randy nodded as he started to back out of the driveway and head in the direction of Wendy's house. He hadn't even seen her in quite some time, actually. She hadn't been spending as much time with Stan as she used to, which Stan had already brought up with him. Perhaps she was up to something? Once he really thought about it, it kind of did make sense. She wasn't acting in her usual manner. Maybe he should've had a longer discussion with Stan about it. After all, if she was being a little slut and cheating on his son, he wanted to help him find out as soon as he could. No sense in wasting any time on someone who won't be faithful.

Little did either of them know, the man Wendy couldn't get off of her mind was a lot closer than they suspected. As the long, almost torturous car ride went on Craig kept his eyes focused on his phone, doing his best to make sure neither Stan nor Kyle could see what he was doing. In fact, he was texting with Wendy.

"_Hey. Randy wanted to drive me and Stan to school. I will be here when we get you. You should try and sit by me, Beautiful."_

He was still waiting for her response. As he exercised patience, he glanced around the car. Odds of Wendy being able to sit by him weren't looking so great right now. All three of them were piled in the back and he figured it was going to be assumed he go sit in the front so Wendy could sit with Stan and Stan could sit beside Kyle. He more than likely wouldn't even get to look at her while they drove to school, which he found to be very disappointing. He wanted nothing more than to be in her lovely company in the awkwardness of the whole situation. These days, Wendy was the only thing providing him any comfort, really.

As they pulled into her driveway, the car slowing to a halt, he couldn't help but feel his stomach lurch. Her place reminded him of that night. It reminded him of how, had he not been there, he would've been dead like the rest of his family. Fuck. The Tucker's would've been eliminated completely had he not been trying to steal his half-brother's girlfriend away. Jesus shit was fucked up.

"Do you want to sit up front with me?" Randy asked as he turned to look at Craig. He was doing his best not to seem too needy, but he couldn't help himself. He really, genuinely wanted to make a connection with his son.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Whatever," Craig said casually as he hopped out of the car, his heart stopping briefly as he realized Wendy was walking over on his side.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, shifting his backpack on his arm as their eyes locked. She immediately looked uncomfortable. Maybe she hadn't gotten his text? He felt bad as he realized she probably wasn't expecting him to be there. They really hadn't spent much time together while Stan was around. He hoped he didn't make anything too obvious.

"Hey Craig," she said softly as she brushed beside him and had herself a seat next to her boyfriend, planting an affectionate kiss on his lips.

"Hey, Babe," she greeted as she nuzzled up to Stan, doing her best to act neutral toward Craig, who was already slumping into the seat beside Randy. She couldn't imagine how uncomfortable he must've been trying to acclimate to this new family he'd had no clue about. Her heart really went out to him, especially because she was starting to develop some pretty strong feelings for him. Christ. He was the last person she should've been getting involved with. There was just something about him she couldn't ignore though.

After nuzzling with Stan for a few seconds she decided to scoot herself away and pull out her phone. She had gotten Craig's text and not bothered to answer. She wasn't exactly thrilled about the situation when she found out. Of course, now that she was actually there with him she really wanted to answer. She didn't want to put out the wrong vibe, but she had to be careful. She didn't want Stan to see.

First thing's first, she had to make sure his phone was on silent. If they were going to text back and forth she didn't want it to be super obvious, so she was just going to send the one to start. She sort of turned her body towards Stan and put her legs on his lap so that she just seemed like she was being affectionate as she started to respond. Much to her own dismay, Stan started rubbing her legs and smiling at her warmly, making her feel an immediate guilt. Fuck. He loved her so much and she was very aware of it. She loved him too, of course. It was just that, as she got older, she was becoming more and more aware of the fact that neither of them had been with anyone else. It was more than likely going to split them up at some point if they didn't experience what it was like to love another. Of course, maybe in the end they would be right for each other; maybe not. No one could really know. They just had to try things out and see where they went.

Still, she never thought that _she _would be the one wandering astray. Wasn't that the guy's job? Nonetheless, Craig had her attention and she was determined to at least flirt with disaster.

"_Sorry I couldn't sit with you. I'm happy to see you though. How was your night with the Marsh's?_"

She felt a pit forming in her stomach as she waited, hoping Craig's phone didn't go off obnoxiously loud or anything. Much to her relief, he must've had it on silent because she didn't hear a thing. He also had his phone in his hands, watching and waiting for her response so it worked out pretty well. She watched intently as he typed away at his phone, everyone else in the car oblivious to their private conversation.

"So how're you feeling baby?" Stan suddenly asked, commanding her attention.

"Huh? Oh, much better today. Thanks," she responded, forcing herself to smile at him.

Stan smiled back her, though not as genuinely as he had before. There was something seriously off with her, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. She quickly averted her beautiful, violet eyes, noticing she had a text from Craig. She did her best not to smile as she wiggled her feet around in Stan's lap and opened it up.

"_That's okay Babe. I'm happy to see u too. It was weird. I miss my family but Randy is pretty nice I guess."_

She bit her lower lip as she looked upwards, catching Craig's eyes in the rear view mirror. Her stomach lurched as she quickly averted her eyes again, typing her response.

"_So do you think you're going to stay for a while? I think you should give Randy a chance. He's a nice man."_

As the two of them texted, Kyle couldn't help but notice the fact that they were texting at opposite times. He couldn't really explain why, but he felt like they may have been talking to each other. Of course, that didn't really make any sense. What the Hell would Wendy and Craig be talking about? He'd never even seen the two of them exchange any more than a few pleasantries here and there. As far as he knew, Wendy hated him as much as they did. Still, he just had this weird feeling he couldn't quite ignore. As he observed, his eyes met Wendy's, causing her to swallow uncomfortably. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Kyle cleared his throat and turned his attention to his lap, choosing to be ignorant of whatever situation was unfolding in that car.

Wendy watched Kyle for a few more seconds, realizing he was probably catching on to their texts. She had to go ahead and put an end to the conversation. She ran her hand through her hair as she opened up Craig's latest text.

"_Yeah. I think I'll stay. At least for a while. When can I have you alone again? I can't stop thinking about you…"_

Fuck. She wanted this conversation to end so badly but, at the same time, she wanted to set something up. Well, perhaps she could have the best of both worlds. She glanced towards Kyle one last time, who was still focusing on his lap. She hoped he chose to stay in blissful ignorance, even though she suspected he was a better friend than that. At least, for now, she was safe.

She lowered her eyes back to her phone typing what she was hoping was her last response for the day.

"_Tonight? Sneak out and meet me at Stark's Pond. Don't expect anything, okay? I won't cheat on Stan. I just want to talk to you."_

As she hit the send button she dropped her phone to her lap and stared up into the rear view mirror, waiting to catch Craig's eyes once more. She waited patiently as he typed away at his phone, no emotion visible that she could catch. She had to admit that she was a little worried he would be growing frustrated. She knew he wanted her; he knew she wanted him. She just wasn't quite ready to go there yet. Stan had been her world for so much of her life, it was a difficult crossroads to be at.

She glanced back down at her lap as Craig set his down into his, waiting for her response. She subconsciously held her breath as she opened the text, preparing herself for the worst. After all, from what she knew of Craig Tucker, he wasn't the most patient young man in the world.

"_I'm not asking you to cheat. I just want to be around you. I promise, again, no funny business Babe. Cross my heart. And, again, that only counts so long as you don't put the moves on me, Doll!_"

She couldn't help but smile as she read it, immediately raising her eyes to the rear view mirror. He was smiling at her as well. Her heart fluttered slightly in her chest as she looked towards him. Fuck. She was really starting to find herself unable to control herself. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to be alone with him again…

"Alright, kiddos," Randy suddenly announced as he pulled into the school parking lot, "I'll see you after school? Either me or Sharon will come and get you, okay?"

Stan pinched the bridge of his nose. Christ, this was so embarrassing. Why did his dad have to try so fucking hard all of the time?

"Thanks," Craig chimed up as he shoved his phone into his pocket, hopped out and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Marsh," Wendy said gratefully, despite her discomfort, as she removed her legs from Stan's lap and gracefully hopped out of the car.

"No problem," Randy said, practically beaming as he smiled towards Craig.

Stan felt the slightest pang of jealousy in his stomach as he watched his father's affectionate stare. What the fuck did Craig ever do to earn that sort of love? Fuck…he was Randy's bastard son. Stan hardly ever earned a look like that from his father, and Craig hadn't done a goddamn thing. He gritted his teeth as he hopped out, slamming the door behind him before following Wendy. He didn't even bother to thank his father, which Randy didn't seem to notice. He was too preoccupied trying to win over his new son.

"Thanks," Kyle said softly, all too aware of the tense situation unfolding amongst the Marsh's.

"You got it," he responded, turning around half-way to smirk at Kyle.

Kyle smiled back, though he was somewhat uncomfortable. He wished Randy wasn't so oblivious of Stan's emotions. He had always been that way, though.

Kyle let out a weighted sigh as he shut the door and headed after his best friend. As he hustled to catch up to Stan he couldn't help but catch Craig staring at Wendy. He was lurking already near the entry of the school; one of his many hangouts. Tweek was standing beside him, already jonesing for some more weed. Kyle watched curiously as he exchanged drugs for money as he so often did on campus. However, much to what appeared to be his dismay, Mr. Mackey appeared at his side.

"Craig, would you come to my office please?" he asked in that rather oblivious tone he so frequently had.

"What? Why? I didn't do shit," he immediately responded, hoping to Christ he hadn't finally been caught dealing. Luckily, he hadn't.

"I know, I know. I just need to talk to you, mmkay?"

Craig rolled his eyes. This was most definitely the work of his Grandmother.

"Fine," he spat out, adjusting his backpack over his shoulder. As he started to walk towards the office, Mr. Mackey noticed Tweek was, well, tweeking out more than usual.

"You okay there, Tweek?" he asked, furrowing his brow as he did so.

Tweek's eye twitched heavily as he struggled to find a response. He'd never been so close to being caught purchasing his beloved downer.

"Y-yes. Everything's fine…" he sounded like he was gritting his teeth with each word he spoke.

It was nothing too far out of the ordinary, so Mr. Mackey shrugged it off before heading towards his office to speak with Craig. Craig had already arrived at his office and was standing with an impatient and inconvenienced look on his face as he approached. He couldn't help but feel a little bad, but his Grandmother had requested they have a weekly meet together. The boy needed guidance through this tragedy, and he wasn't so sure Randy Marsh and his bunch would be able to provide what he needed.

"C'mon in, mmkay," he instructed, a subtle empathy in his voice as he unlocked the door and entered. He made his way to his desk and was pleasantly surprised to see Craig having himself a seat as he sat behind his desk and folded his hands upon it.

"Mmmkay, Craig. Now, I think you know why you're here. Your grandmother really wants you to come and see me once a week," Mr. Mackey began, despite the fact this angsty youth made him quite nervous. He had no desire to be berated.

Craig raised his eyebrows as he leaned back into his seat and folded one of his legs over the other. He let a large breath escape his lips as he looked towards the ceiling briefly. However, his gaze eventually returned to Mr. Mackey as he spoke almost reluctantly.

"Can I have a smoke at least?"

Mr. Mackey swallowed hard as he contemplated it. He would surely get in trouble for letting a minor smoke in his office. However, he figured it would be more beneficial if he just let him smoke than to put up any barriers between them. This kid seriously needed some counseling and he'd be damned if he didn't receive it.

"Mmmkay. But it has to be our secret," the counselor instructed, his hands fiddling with one another ever so slightly.

Craig noticed his elder's discomfort and let it roll off his back as he pulled his pack of cigarettes out, placed one comfortably in his mouth and lit it up. He felt an immediate relief wash over him as he took the first, sizeable drag off of it. Fucking drugs; they were the best.

"Okay," Craig sighed as he looked towards Mr. Mackey, his face a little more relaxed. The counselor responded to the youth's new comfort and settled himself, "how're we going to do this?"

Mr. Mackey eyed him for a moment, his hands no longer fiddling. Craig was in his world now.

"Why don't you tell me a little about your family?"

Craig took another drag off of his cigarette, scratching the back of his head as he looked upwards. He contemplated lying his ass off; you know, making up some big huge story about how his parents molested and abused him relentlessly so he murdered them all and covered it up with a car accident. However, he decided against it, figuring Mr. Mackey would know it was bullshit and label him a looney.

He breathed in slightly before raising his eyebrows, signaling his defeat. A look of reluctance remained on his youthful face as he eyed Mr. Mackey.

"What do you want to know?"

The counselor flipped over a piece of paper in his notebook and scribbled something down, much to Craig's irritation. He didn't want him keeping records of their conversations.

"Why don't you tell me about your mother?"

Craig let out a small chuckle, almost sarcastic. His face now showed great contempt, which didn't escape Mr. Mackey.

"What about her?" he scoffed.

"Well, what kind of relationship did the two of you have? Were you close?"

Craig's demeanor changed once more, a profound sadness washing over him. Mr. Mackey felt a sizeable amount of empathy as Craig stared off, just barely avoiding eye contact. The youth swallowed softly before averting his eyes to the ground and speaking slowly as he somewhat played with his hands.

"Yeah…yeah we were close."

A long silence passed between the two of them as Craig fumbled through thoughts of his mother. What was there to say about her? She was the one who sort of threw him into this situation in the first place.

Just as Mr. Mackey was about to prod at him some more, he spoke up, silencing the counselor.

"You know…yeah, we were close but not as close as I thought."

Mr. Mackey raised his eyebrows, intrigued by that statement.

"Why do you say that?"

Craig leaned forward a bit, puffing more aggressively at his cigarette as he spoke.

"Because. You know what's going on. She fuckin' got knocked up by Randy Marsh and _lied _to me my entire life about who my father was! How could she do that? You know, I could've had a relationship with Randy a long time ago and Stan…Hell, maybe he and I would actually act like brothers instead of sworn enemies had we known sooner! That bitch deprived me of a huge part of my life! How could she do that to me? And I had to find out from my Grandma after they all fucking dropped off dead!? What the fuck!?" he demanded, his voice somewhat raised towards the end of it.

Mr. Mackey nodded, observing the teen's sudden outburst. Clearly this was bothersome to him.

"I'm sure your mom just wanted to protect you, Craig. Did you ever think that she might've just wanted you to consider Thomas as your father? Perhaps there's a reason she shielded you from Randy, mmkay?"

Craig stared at him, his face blank and unreadable for several seconds before he let out a weighted sigh and leaned backwards once more. He seemed to be relaxed yet again, causing the counselor to sigh. His rapidly changing moods were not a good sign.

"Forget about my mom. I don't want to talk about her anymore," he stated rather matter-of-factly.

Mr. Mackey nodded, "Mmmkay. Well, what do you want to talk about then?"

Craig eyed him for a moment before taking the last drag of his cigarette, tossing it to the carpeted floor and stomping it out. Mr. Mackey chose to ignore it as he watched the youth curiously.

"Nothing. I'm done," he stated flatly before walking briskly out of the office.

Jesus. He really had his work cut out for him with this one.


	8. Chapter 8

It Could Be You

Chapter 7

Written By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Sorry about the super long wait guys! I've been very busy and in the hustle of it all completely forgot about this story. Thanks for the recent reviews…very inspired to move forward with this thing!)

"Hello?" Charlotte greeted as she responded to the nagging ring of her phone. She hadn't received a call since Randy had inquired about her grandson, and she hoped to Christ it wasn't him. It was awkward enough dealing with him once.

"_Yes…Charlotte Tucker?_"

"This is she," she responded, assuming it was probably some type of sales person. She was already in a foul mood; thoughts of her lost family had been clouding up her already foggy mind.

"_Hello. I'm so sorry to bother you at this time. My name is Christy Schultz, I'm Craig's creative writing teacher._"

Craig. Of course.

"Oh…is everything alright?" she asked, her mind quickly darting between the terrible things he could've done.

"_Well, I'm calling to share with you that Craig and another student decided to take upon themselves to just up and leave class yesterday._"

Charlotte closed her eyes, struggling to hold in the sigh nagging at her. Naturally, she instinctively wanted to handle the situation herself. At first, she had thoughts of what she should say to this woman and what she was going to do to discipline her grandson. However, before she could actually speak she remembered the hard truth: Craig was not her responsibility alone. She was going to have to have another conversation with Randy.

"Oh. Well…it will be handled. I'm sorry. I'm not sure if you've been told or not, but we've had a rather large tragedy in our family. My son, his father, and his mother and sister were all killed in a car accident just a few days ago. He's going to take a little time…"

She wasn't sure what else she could say. She allowed a moment of silence to pass before this 'Christy' woman responded.

"_I'm sorry. I was not aware of the situation._"

"It's okay. I doubt my Craig is advertising it. He, uh…likes to appear strong…"

Her heart ached profoundly as she spoke. Of course no one knew. He was always so private. He was always trying so hard to be a man. It wasn't a good persona to have in such difficult times.

"_Yes, I understand. Craig has always been a bit of…well…a hand full. This wasn't anything out of the ordinary, really. I attempted to contact his parents before you…"_

Another stab of pain at that statement. Perhaps she should go in and update his emergency contact information. Lord, there were so many things that needed to be taken care of. Not to mention the funeral was in just a few days.

"If you could just give him a bit of leniency, I would really appreciate it," she stated bluntly as she struggled to process the upcoming events. She was going to be dealing with the Marsh's quite a bit, it would seem.

"_Yes, of course. I don't know that we'll provide the same leniency for the other student involved in the situation, however._"

Oh, of course. He had an accomplice.

"Who, may I ask, did he leave class with?"

"_Actually, that was what I found to be a bit odd. It was a young lady named Wendy Testaberger. She's a very good student; I've never had any issues with her before. Straight A's, quiet girl._"

Charlotte couldn't help but shut her eyes in frustration once more. He had to stop prancing around with all of these different girls. He needed to focus on healing, not sleeping around with the female population of the student body. She was all too aware of his tendency towards promiscuity. It was another thing that concerned her greatly.

"I'm very sorry. He, uh, has a way of getting the girls to do things outside of their usual…nature."

She was having a hard time with this conversation. She really didn't want to explain her grandson's actions. It was about time to put an end to this discussion and move on to the next unpleasant step of this process. Much to her relief, Christy seemed to be feeling about the same.

"_Okay. Well, I was just obligated to contact a guardian and make it known that this happened. I will also be contacting our school counselor, if that's alright with you._"

"Yes, that's fine. He's already seeing Mr. Mackey once a week under my advice."

Silence on the other end for a brief moment.

"_Okay. Have a nice night, Mrs. Tucker. Sorry again for the bad news."_

Charlotte nodded to herself as she responded.

"Thank you. Have a good evening yourself, Mrs. Schultz. I assure you I'll do my best to keep this behavior from repeating itself."

She decided to hang up the phone before giving the awkward teacher another chance to continue the conversation. As she held the cordless phone in her hand she let out a heavy sigh. Her fingers trailed the cold, plastic, rounded edges of the hollow phone. She truly didn't want to speak with Randy; why did Craig constantly have to put everyone around him in these situations? Of course, she had sympathy because it was fairly obvious he was dealing with the tragedy, but this behavior was certainly nothing new from him. Perhaps it wasn't so bad she was a growing influence in his life. Someone had to set him on the right path; hopefully Randy would be a useful aid towards her goals.

"Well…" she mumbled to herself as she pulled a small, handwritten contacts book from her desk drawer. She located Randy's number and slowly dialed the small, glowing keys of her phone.

Ring. Ring.

"_Hello?_" an unfamiliar voice greeted. It must've been Randy's wife. What was her name?

"Hello. I'm sorry to bother you…I can't for the life of me remember your name. You're Randy's wife, yes?"

_"Yes…?" _The unfamiliar voice responded. She sounded a little weary.

"Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry…my name is Charlotte. I'm Craig's grandmother."

Sharon felt her heart skip a beat as she realized who she was speaking to. It was the middle of the day and she hadn't been feeling well. Too much stress with the new situation, so she'd decided to come home early and take a breather.

"Oh, hi. Um…how are you?" she responded awkwardly as she made her way over to the living room couch and sat down. She figured this was probably going to require a seat.

"_I'm okay, thank you. How are you?_"

Pleasantries. Neither one of the two women really enjoyed them.

"I'm fine, thanks. So, what's going on?"

"_Yes. Well…I was hoping to speak to Randy. I'm assuming he's not home?_"

"No, not yet. He's at work. He should be home soon, though. He's supposed to pick up the boys from school."

Perhaps she could get out of having this awkward conversation.

"_Oh. I see. Um…would it be too much trouble if I spoke with you briefly about Craig?_"

Sharon shut her eyes and put her free hand to the bridge of her nose, pinching lightly as she so frequently did when frustrated.

"Yeah, sure," she responded, trying to hide her reluctancy. It was painfully obvious to Charlotte, but she decided to proceed anyway.

"_I'm sorry. I know this must be awkward for you. I'm sure you know the nature of the situation. I'm going to be brief_," she prefaced, not wanting to stress this poor young woman out any more than necessary. She must've felt really uncomfortable, at least, about the whole thing.

Sharon suddenly felt a stab of guilt at how obvious she must've been.

"I'm sorry. It's okay, you can take as long as you want. I didn't mean to sound like…well, a bitch," she chuckled a bit, hoping to lighten the mood. Much to her relief Charlotte had herself a small laugh over it.

"_It's okay, really._"

Sharon let out a breath, a little more comfortable.

"Okay, so…what's going on? Is everything alright?" she pried, wanting to move forward with the conversation.

Charlotte also let out a significant breath, unhappy that she had to try and work the whole thing out. She was getting too old for this.

"_Not exactly. I got a call from the high school today. Apparently Craig and another student decided to walk out of class the other day. I'm just…I wanted to discuss some sort of discipline. Craig does these sorts of things and I really want to try and get him on a tighter leash than his parents kept him on. He's…_" she could feel herself choking up a bit, despite her best efforts to be formal, "_He's, uh…on a bad path._"

Sharon felt a pang of sympathy in her stomach. Christ. She wasn't sure what she would do if this was happening to her son.

"Oh," she said softly as she allowed herself to process it. She wasn't sure exactly how to handle the situation, seeing as he wasn't in any way hers, "well. I guess I would have to talk to Randy. We are aware that he's a bit of a trouble maker…my son told us. Also, he tried to smoke when he came in last night, but we asked him not to and he handed the cigarettes right to us. He didn't really put up a fight at all…"

Charlotte couldn't help but smile. That sounded very much like him. For the most part, he was a respectful, sweet boy. Just troubled.

"_That's about right. He's a good boy. He really is…but, yes…he can be a bit of a handful._"

Sharon rolled her eyes. Good boy who causes trouble; what a notion.

"Yes…well, I'm sure he is," she offered, not certain what she should say.

An awkward silence ensued between the two of them as Charlotte sensed Sharon's, what she assumed to be, resentment. She couldn't really blame her. Obviously her husband had had an affair and fathered a son with his mistress. It had to be, at the least, unpleasant.

"_Anyway,_" Charlotte continued, wanting very much to conclude the conversation, "_I really want Randy to work with me, and if you're up to it, I could use all the help I can get. He has such potential and he really, truly has a good heart. He just needs some guidance._"

Sharon nodded to herself, doing her best to swallow her own feelings towards the situation. After all, it wasn't Craig's fault any of this happened. He was definitely innocent of her husbands indiscretions.

She sighed heavily before continuing, "What is the school going to do about it?"

"_I asked them to go a little easy on him because of what he's dealing with right now. I'm not sure what they'll do with the girl who ditched with him._"

"Hmmm," Sharon mused aloud, "who was it? I hope they're not too hard on her…"

"_I don't know the girl. They told me her name was Wendy Testa…something. I'm not sure on the last name._"

Sharon sat herself up a bit. She'd caught her attention.

"Wendy Testaberger?" she asked, her voice revealing a sudden interest that made Charlotte almost feel guarded.

"_Um…yes. That sounds right. Why, who is that?_"

Sharon's face was running hot. Her only son's girlfriend, that's who the fuck that was! What the Hell was Wendy doing running out of class with Craig? She'd vaguely remembered hearing Stan make mention of her saying she'd gone home sick and neglected to tell him until much later. Something was going on…

"Uh…no one. Well, I mean, I know who she is, that's all. No one significant," she attempted to cover her tracks. She wasn't sure what was going on so she wanted to tread carefully, although she could take a guess.

Charlotte struggled to figure out what was going on, but decided she may have just been being overly paranoid. This woman was probably just rattled by the whole situation and it was best to just let her move on with her day.

"_Okay. Well, I'm sorry. I'll let you go. If you could, please have Randy give me a call. I want to talk with him some more about Craig and, perhaps, I was hoping he could attend the funeral with us. It's on Saturday. I really think it would be good for Craig to have his…uh…well, just have someone there for him._"

Sharon was gritting her teeth at this point. His father. He wanted his father to be there with him. This little asshole kid, who was probably fucking _her _son's girlfriend, wanted _her _husband to help him through this. Christ. She'd had about all she could take for one day.

"Okay. Goodbye Charlotte," she said firmly as she hung up the phone, not bothering to wait for the returned sentiment.

She sat on the couch, squeezing the phone tightly in her hand as she milled around thoughts in her head. Despite how badly she wanted to have an outburst and start hurling around accusations she knew better. If she wanted to keep this family together she was going to have to handle this in such a way that didn't make her look like the bad guy.

In other words, she had to catch Craig and Wendy in the act


	9. Chapter 9

It Could Be You

Chapter 09

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Wow! Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm happy to see I still have some readers after all of this time!)

Sharon waited quietly in the car. She had called Randy and told him she'd decided to come home early and offered to pick up the kids for him. Of course, he was a little reluctant. Apparently he wanted to spend as much time kissing Craig's ass as he could; he had this compulsive need for everyone to like him. Christ it could be annoying.

Still, she had managed to convince him and she was now waiting for them to emerge from the front of the school. A large amount of kids had already flooded the parking lot, some entering their own cars and some being scooped up by their parents or other relatives. It was almost peaceful to watch all of those young adults go about their mundane lives. Perhaps things were easier for them; she couldn't help but fantasize living a day in the life of someone else. Things were getting far too complicated for her liking.

She let out a heavy sigh as she pushed against the steering wheel, stretching her arms a bit as she struggled to handle her stress. She eyed the steering wheel for just a few seconds before returning her gaze to the parking lot. There they were: Stan, Kyle, Wendy and Craig. Apparently Kyle was going to be joining them today too. Very typical. He and Stan were almost as inseparable as he and Wendy were. At least Kyle was a loyal friend; she wasn't so sure she could say the same of his girlfriend.

She quickly pressed the button to her left, unlocking the rest of the car doors as the teenagers approached her. Stan was the first to get in, noting his mother was gathering them and deciding to take the front seat. He certainly didn't want her to be subjected to Craig.

"Hey Mom," he said affectionately as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. He couldn't help but feel terrible for her. She must've been feeling like shit with everything his father had put her through. Fuck. Everything he _was _putting her through.

"Hey Sweetie," she replied, sounding just as stressed as she was feeling. It didn't go unnoticed.

Stan quietly watched her face as the rest of the kids piled into the back of the car, noticing that she looked somewhat aged. He hadn't noticed until now. A pang of guilt hit his stomach as he averted his eyes, completely oblivious as Wendy scooted her way into the middle seat.

She did her best to make it seem casual, but was very intentional. She wanted to sit beside Craig and, not only did this seat offer her this convenience, it came with the added bonus of being as close to him as she could innocently get. It was perfect.

Kyle slid in on her left as Craig had himself a seat to her right, Sharon discreetly adjusting her rear view mirror to capture he and Wendy. She wanted to keep close tabs on them as they drove home; she wanted to make sure she wasn't being paranoid.

Wendy could feel her heart skip a beat and her face growing hot as her thighs lightly settled against Craig's. He was warm and, as she felt her cheeks flushing, she caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye. His face was reddened. His thighs were hot. She was getting to him just as much as he was to her. Fuck. What was happening between them? Perhaps meeting up tonight wasn't going to be in their best interests. She wasn't sure how much longer she could resist him. His pull was magnetic.

Craig did his best to slow his racing heart at the touch of his forbidden desired's touch. It was frustrating. How much longer was he going to have to be patient? Was he holding off only to be rejected in the end? After all, she and Stan had been together for just about as long as he could remember. That wasn't something you just walked away from without putting some thought into it. Perhaps he was nuts for even thinking he could infiltrate their relationship. He was probably just setting himself up for further heartache. He couldn't help but think it may have been in his best interest to quit while he was ahead.

Still…he couldn't deny the intoxicating trance she put him when she was around. He let out a quiet sigh as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts. He needed to put her out of mind and, as Sharon backed the car out of the parking lot, he located Tweek and Token's numbers, sending out a group text to them both.

_What are you guys up to tonight? I'm going to be at Stark's Pond around midnight. Wanna get faded?_

As Craig quietly distracted himself with his phone, Sharon continued to keep an eye on him and Wendy.

"So, are we all going to our house today? What am I doing?" Sharon asked, not particularly wanting all of these kids to be in her home. However, if Stan needed the company she wasn't about to deny him. It was a tough situation for everyone in the family, not just her.

"If it's okay I kind of wanted Kyle and Wendy to come over today," Stan spoke up, sounding more sheepish than usual. He didn't want to stress his mom out too much. Fuck. It was killing him to notice just how aged she'd become. He couldn't help but blame himself just a touch for it.

"Yeah, that's fine," she said, realizing Stan was discomforted. She reached out and touched his hand briefly, squeezing it and smiling softly towards him to show her sympathy. He returned the sentiment before Kyle spoke up, wanting to shift some of the tension.

"Thanks Mrs. Marsh. How was your day?"

Sharon smiled before chuckling quietly to herself. Kyle was a good boy. Perhaps old Charlotte should meet a kid who really has a good heart; maybe then she wouldn't be so forgiving of her little delinquent.

"It was alright, thanks. How was school guys?" she asked, somewhat addressing the whole car.

"It was fine. Aside from watching Cartman and Bebe making out all morning," Stan spat out, somewhat trying to evoke some sort of outburst from Craig. Much to his satisfaction, he had caught his attention.

At that statement Craig jerked his head up, his crystal blue eyes meeting Stan's as he turned his head to watch the scene behind him. That bastard was smirking at him arrogantly; he wanted to punch him right in that stupid jock face of his. However, he managed to keep his cool. He certainly didn't want to have another outburst in front of Wendy.

"She's dating Cartman already?" he asked, his voice softer than normal. It caught Wendy's attention. Why did he care what Bebe did? Supposedly she didn't matter to him in the first place.

"Yeah…didn't take him long at all. What's it been…one day?" Stan chuckled.

Sharon raised one of her eyebrows, not sure what Craig had to do with Bebe.

"Stan," Kyle said, his tone begging his best friend not to instigate a fight. It wasn't worth it. Stan, however, chose to ignore his Jewish friend's please.

"What a shame…must suck to have Cartman nailing your girlfriend after only one day of breaking up!" he taunted.

"Stan!" Sharon warned, suddenly realizing what was going on. Wendy's violet eyes were widened in the back seat, suddenly feeling herself growing heated.

"What is wrong with you?" she suddenly demanded, causing everyone in the car to silence. Sharon immediately eyed her in the rear view mirror. This was going to be interesting.

"What do you mean?" Stan asked, his blue eyes widened, doing his best to look innocent. Of course he knew what he was doing; of course he should've known it would piss Wendy off…she hated when people treated each other with unnecessary hostility; however, he didn't know just how personal what he was doing was to her. She was beginning to care about Craig more than she cared for him. He was losing her and he was completely unaware of it.

"How can you say something like that? Jesus Christ…he just lost his whole family," she insisted.

Kyle eyed her, not impressed with her outburst. It caused him to have just the slightest pang; perhaps his intuition this morning hadn't been so off. Still…he was trying to ignore it. There was too much happening at the moment to bring up suspicions of unfaithfulness without certainty.

Unknown to Kyle, Sharon was sharing the exact same sentiment. She chose to watch further in silence as she and Stan spoke.

"I…uh…yeah, okay…sorry," Stan stammered as his eyes flickered between his angered girlfriend and his flustered half brother. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that. Christ. Wendy was right. He was being cruel.

"I mean…sorry, Craig," he said, this time with genuine sincerity.

Craig's crystal but eyes softened a bit as he looked his brother over. Fuck. Stan…there had always been something about him. He fucking hated him but…well, there was this sort of connection he had to him. He felt his guard dropping a bit and the warmth of forgiveness settling in his belly.

"Yeah, sure…it's cool, dude," he replied quietly before shrugging it off and returning his eyes to his phone. An awkward and, admittedly stunned silence settled over the car as Stan returned his eyes to the front of the road. No one could believe what they'd just witnessed: Stan and Craig had shared a genuine moment of…concern for one another. Sharon swallowed hard. She hoped to Christ she was wrong about Craig and Wendy…or Craig as a whole for that matter. She could see a small bond beginning to form between he and her son.

The rest of the ride was silent as everyone tried to settle their thoughts. Craig, of course, was distracting himself as he planned a night of debauchery with his friends. Token and Tweek were both down for the night. Now all he had to do was figure out how to squeeze out Wendy. Perhaps it was best to stay away.

As Craig read his texts from Tweek and Token, he was surprised to see another pop up on his screen. It was from Wendy. He felt his pulse quicken as he glanced up at her quietly. Her violet eyes were staring at him, almost aching. Fuck. What was wrong? He quickly averted his eyes and opened her text.

"_Are you ok?"_

He felt a heaviness settle in his chest. She could tell he was having second thoughts. Fuck. What was wrong with him? She was getting worried about him. He didn't want to make her worry about him. Christ…what the fuck did he care what happened to Stan? Jesus…he'd almost actually bought into that family bullshit for a second. Stan was nothing to him; that's what he was.

He swallowed hard, determined to wiggle himself out of this heartwarming situation with the Marsh's. He didn't belong with them. He didn't belong anywhere. He felt his heart beating faster, angry with himself for the brief moment of weakness. Craig Tucker didn't open up to anyone. He was tired of being patient. He was tired of feeling so lost. There was only one thing he was certain of and that was his unrelenting desire for Wendy Testaberger. He suddenly began to type furiously into his phone, not bothering to filter himself for the first time in a while.

Wendy watched quietly as his emotions fleeted around, settling on what appeared to be rage. Fuck; what was it about this dangerous boy that had her so captivated? Her stomach ached profoundly as she awaited his text, sinking even lower as soon as his name popped up on her screen.

She felt her face and ears running hot as she opened it, the rest of her body heating as she read his fiery response.

"_No. I won't be okay until I've made you mine. I've promised to be patient. I will be…but I can't lie, Wendy…I can't resist the taste of your skin for much longer."_

He watched out of the corner of his eye as she read his response. He felt sick to his stomach. He knew it was wrong. He knew he could be ruining a good thing with Stan and his family.

However, in classic Craig fashion, he fully intended on letting his dick get in the way


	10. Chapter 10

It Could Be You

Chapter 10

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you for taking the time to leave me reviews! They're very kind :) Just watched the new South Park…oi…they're such geniuses!)

Craig couldn't help but feel a little nauseated as they all entered the Marsh residence. He didn't like the feel of entering a house he didn't consider a home after the day's end. How was he ever supposed to be comfortable in this place? Perhaps he never would be.

He let out a quiet sigh as Stan and Kyle excitedly chatted, immediately heading upstairs towards Stan's bedroom. Wendy hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Craig to follow suit. However, she thought better of herself and quickly made her way up to her boyfriend's room. It wasn't her concern as far as the rest of the world would see it.

Sharon cautiously walked into the kitchen, taking note of the fact that Craig was walking through her living room like a zombie. She felt a little sick as he slowly followed her into the kitchen and set his backpack on the ground beside the table. She watched silently as he sat down and rested his head in his hands. He looked utterly depressed and, on some level, it broke her heart to see him so troubled. Fuck. She was going to have to console him.

She watched him for a moment before sighing and walking up to the table, having herself a seat across from him. He didn't seem to notice. She furrowed her brow as she observed him, noting that he looked rather exhausted, yet still incredibly handsome. He really did look so much like Randy did back when they'd first met. Amazing. It still saddened her that Stan turned out more in her image than his. He used to be quite the looker. No wonder this kid had girls hanging all over him; well, at least that's what she'd heard.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked quietly, not wanting to speak loud enough to startle him.

"Huh?" he softly spat out, his crystal blue eyes suddenly attentive towards her. She felt her stomach lurch. She was very uncomfortable dealing with this unfamiliar child.

"I asked if you're doing alright…" she stated, though not sounding firm. She was genuinely concerned, despite her reservations about him.

"Oh," he said, blinking stupidly towards her. She squeezed her lips together for a just a moment, realizing it was pretty obvious he wasn't okay.

"You know…" she began, doing her best to be cautious. His eyes were fixated on her…it was very intense, "…it's okay to talk about it. I mean…I can't exactly imagine what you're going through or how you must feel, but…well, I just think it's healthier if you talk with someone. I'm not saying it has to be me or anything…"

"My Grandma has me seeing Mr. Mackey every week now…" he suddenly spat out, unable to control himself.

Both he and Sharon eyed each other for a moment, trying to decide whether or not they were actually going to have this conversation. Her brown eyes were wide as her nerves began to race. Craig could see she was uncomfortable, but, hey…she was offering to be an open ear.

"I don't want to talk to him though," he continued, this time less aggressively. Sharon's shoulders dropped a bit as she relaxed herself. Clearly this was going to happen.

"Why not?" she asked, accepting the situation for what it was.

"Well…I dunno. I just don't. I mean…I know I'm fucked up…everyone knows that but…do I really need to, like, make it official and actually see the counselor? I guess…I just don't like it, that's all. It's all very public," he sighed as he leaned back in his chair, throwing one of his arms over the back of it.

Sharon nodded, somewhat understanding. He was probably already pretty talked about in the halls with everything that was going on. It likely did leave a lot of room for rumors.

"Hey…" she suddenly said, her words getting a little ahead of her brain, "…why don't we step out back for a minute."

Craig eyed her for a second, a little unsure of where she was going. However, he decided to just shrug it off and follow her.

"Yeah, alright," he said casually as he got out of his chair and headed outside with her. She seemed a little nervous as she stepped outside and shut the sliding glass door behind her.

"Alright…come over here," she insisted as she walked away from the door and headed towards a gathering of bushes in the backyard. It appeared to be very hidden from the rest of the house.

"Um…you aren't going to, uh…molest me or something are you?" he asked, somewhat jokingly.

"What?" she asked, totally shocked as she blinked towards him dumbfounded.

His cheeks quickly flushed red as he began to stammer, "I mean…not that I wouldn't do you…you're totally hot for an older chick and all…" her eyes widened even more, causing him to get flustered, "I mean…But…I don't think we should, that's all," he concluded before clearing his throat and stepping back a bit.

Sharon shook her head as she smiled at him and started to laugh a bit, "Jesus…no. Calm down. This is where I come to have a smoke whenever I have a moment to myself. Just thought it might make this whole thing easier if we could have a cigarette," she explained, realizing her behavior probably did seem a little weird.

"Oh," he said, letting out a relieved laugh and shifting his weight a bit. Sharon continued to giggle a bit as she pulled out a pack of Marlboro's and popped one in her mouth. He watched enviously as she lit it up and took a sizable drag. She smirked at him knowingly before offering up the box to him.

He looked towards her cautiously, "really?"

"Yeah, sure…It'll be our secret…" she responded. She felt a little guilty encouraging this kid to smoke, but he was almost old enough now anyway. She remembered how much she used to smoke at his age.

"Alright then," he said as he took one out and popped it into his mouth, whipping a lighter out of his jacket pocket and setting it ablaze. He felt his entire body start to melt into a state of relaxation as he took in the sweet nicotine and let it out slowly.

"Oi…that's good," he admitted, smiling towards Sharon graciously, "thanks."

She nodded, feeling a little silly to be hiding out in the backyard and smoking with this kid. She hardly ever smoked, though, and it was kind of nice to have someone to do it with. Usually she was bunkered down out there in the middle of the night so Randy and Stan wouldn't know.

"So…what's going on with you then, kiddo?" she asked, trying to be somewhat casual, though opening up the door for him to talk a bit.

"Well…" he started, shaking his head in disbelief with himself. He couldn't believe he was actually going to talk with Sharon about any of this, but he kind of wanted to. She was being pretty cool, "…uh…I don't know. I mean…it's just been…hard. Don't get me wrong, I like you guys alright and everything…it's just that…this place doesn't feel like home to me at all. I can't picture myself actually living here and calling you guys family and all. I had a family…a mom, a dad, a sister…fuck. I just feel like I'm floating around in this world by myself…I don't really know where I'm supposed to go or what I'm supposed to do…"

He looked towards her before shrugging, "I'm just…lost."

Sharon nodded, taking another drag. That was about what she'd figured.

"What about Bebe? Why did you guys break up?" she asked, remembering Stan's nasty comment from earlier.

Craig let out a small laugh, "what about her? I wasn't, like, in love with her or anything. She was just a piece of ass," he sighed. However, he felt a little bad admitting that to Sharon. He shouldn't say something like that to another lady.

"Sorry," he said quietly, acknowledging his social mistake.

Sharon shrugged, "it's okay. We've all been there."

He nodded as he continued to smoke. A moment of silence passed between the two of them before Sharon decided to speak again.

"It seemed like it bothered you that she's seeing Cartman, though."

Craig nodded. Yeah. That really did bother him on some level.

"Not because I care about her. Well…maybe I do a bit, but not in a romantic way. I guess…it just bothers me that she was mine and now that fat fuck is banging her. She's not that cheap…she shouldn't be acting that way. She's probably one of the better girlfriend's I've had. Plus…it's also sort of an ego thing. Nobody wants Cartman banging their leftovers. Makes you feel like the girl you were fucking has no standards whatsoever."

Sharon nodded. Cartman was a pretty foul kid. She could never figure out why Kyle and Stan hung around him.

"Okay, fair enough," she stated, shuffling her feet in the snow.

Craig eyed her for a moment, a soft amount of affection heating his belly.

"Look…this might be kind of weird to say…but, you kind of remind me of my mom. I mean, the good parts of her…"

Sharon looked towards him, a little caught off guard.

"Yeah, well…maybe that's why Randy fucked her," she sighed, her voice a little shaken. Craig felt his stomach drop.

"No…I mean…I didn't mean it like that…" he said apologetically.

"I know, I know…it's not your fault…" she sighed, taking a shaky drag of her cigarette before tossing it to the snow. She looked towards Craig, her eyes a little glazed over. Fuck. She was going to cry.

"Hey…" he said softly as he walked up to her and put his arm around her shoulders, rubbing affectionately, "I'm sorry. I'm sure it sucks having me here. I'm pretty much a big fat reminder of a bad time in your life."

She chuckled a bit, sniffling as tears quietly made their way down her cheeks.

"No," she said gently as she looked up at him. He was a bit taller than she, "I'm glad you're here," she admitted, realizing she genuinely meant it.

Craig smiled at her before rubbing her shoulders and pulling her close for just a second, squeezing her arm.

"Well alright then…" he said smirking before letting her go and poking her nose, "…let's get back to the rest of them, eh?"

Sharon shook her head and smiled, a little stunned at how quickly she was able to bond with him. Life was funny that way sometimes.

As Craig made his way back inside he realized Stan, Kyle and Wendy were all in the kitchen.

"Hey…where were you?" Kyle asked as he walked in reeking of cigarettes. Dumb question.

"Just having a smoke," he said, not bothering to cover up for himself.

"Of course you were," Stan scoffed.

Kyle and Wendy were both sitting at the table munching on sandwiches while Stan stood at the counter, his back to the sliding glass door. He wasn't aware as his mother quietly walked in behind Craig, eyeing Kyle and Wendy. She was hoping Stan wouldn't notice her coming in behind him.

"Yeah, whatever," he said as he walked up beside Stan, observing the type of sandwich he was making.

"Dude…you reek…" he protested, scrunching up his nose as he looked at his half-brother.

"What're you making?" he asked, choosing to completely ignore Stan's irritation.

"PB&J, dude…" he said, sounding like it was a dumb thing to ask.

"Cool…can I have half?" he asked, pushing the conversation forward. He was well aware of Stan's developing attitude, he just didn't give a fuck.

Stan sighed before reaching up to the cupboard, grabbing a paper plate and slapping half his sandwich on it.

"Here," he stated as he shoved it in Craig's face. Craig took the plate and walked to the other side of Stan, having himself a seat on the counter before joyously biting into the sandwich.

"Killer…" he mumbled before smiling arrogantly at Kyle and Wendy.

Kyle rolled his eyes while Stan had himself a seat beside Wendy, who was doing her best to avoid looking at Craig at all.

"Hey, Ma…" Stan said, choosing not to harass her about the fact she'd obviously been outside smoking with Craig. He was aware she occasionally indulged in a cigarette. He wasn't so sure his father was, "did you want anything? I can make you a sandwich, too," he offered.

Craig looked towards her, his mouth full as he realized he probably should've asked the same question. Damnit. One point for Stan; the fucker.

"No, that's okay sweetie. I'm not hungry," she assured before making her way into the living room. There was a basket of laundry there that needed folding so she grabbed it and took it upstairs to her bedroom with her. She figured the kids needed some time to, uh, work their shit out.

Stan looked towards Craig, a little bothered.

"What the fuck were you and my mom talking about out there?" he confronted, braver now that his mother wasn't in the room.

Craig smiled at him arrogantly. He wasn't going to answer. It was none of his business. Besides, best to let him squirm anyway. Stan gritted his teeth as he realized he wasn't going to answer. What a mother fucker.

"Dude…you should calm down. You want some weed? You know I've got some…" Craig offered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Shut the fuck up," Stan insisted, eyeing him dangerously.

Wendy squeezed his arm, though he didn't bother to pay her any attention. Fuck. She didn't want to be in the middle of this situation. Craig was being an asshole; she wasn't even sure what it was she liked about him so much. He was always acting this way; always egging people on. Always trying to cause a fight. Why couldn't he just be the person he was when they were alone together? Why did he always have to put on such a false bravado?

"I'm not watching this," she suddenly stated as she stood herself up, shoving her seat out from behind her. All of the boys turned to look at her, Craig and Stan both wide-eyed. Kyle, for the briefest moment, could see the concern on Craig's face. He cared what Wendy thought. He actually cared about something.

"Sorry," Craig suddenly spat out before hopping off of the counter and setting his plate down, "I should go out for a bit…you guys just…chill. I'll leave you alone," he said, sounding utterly defeated as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and sheepishly walked out of the house.

As they heard the door shut behind him everyone held still as if they were waiting for the world to fall.

"What the fuck was that?" Stan asked, entirely shocked, "I've never seen Tucker just back down from a fight like that!"

Wendy could feel her heart beginning to race. Christ…did she really have that profound of an effect on him?

"I…I don't know," she responded, genuinely uncertain of what had just happened.

"I think he actually gives a shit what you think, Wendy," Kyle stated, somewhat wanting to put her on the spot. He was suspicious as all hell now.

Wendy swallowed hard as she eyed Kyle, her violet eyes clearly nervous.

"What? Why the fuck would he care what Wendy thinks? I'll tell you what that was…Craig's a little pussy bitch, that's what that was," Stan insisted, completely oblivious of the fact that Kyle was trying to expose his girlfriend's strange behavior.

Wendy watched him, a pleading look on her face. His emerald eyes searched her over, a hardened look on his face. He wanted to push it, but decided it was best to just keep his mouth shut. If she really was up to something it was only a matter of time before someone had some hard evidence. He would wait for that time.

…

Craig drove his truck speedily, uncertain as to why he was headed this way in the first place. He knew this was probably a mistake, but he couldn't help himself. He felt sick to his stomach as his tires screeched down the little suburban street. He was almost there.

His heart started to pound in his chest as pushed harder on the gas, not sure why he was in such a hurry to get there. Nonetheless, he pushed the limits of the car until he spotted the house he was looking for, slamming on his breaks and screeching to an obnoxious halt in front of his destination. As he hopped out of his truck and slammed the door behind him, he took note of a pair of girls eyeing him distastefully. He smirked at them and winked, causing them to roll their eyes and move along. Whatever. They would both fuck him if they had the chance and he knew it.

He smirked to himself as he walked up the driveway, doing his best to appear cocky. The fact of the matter was, however, he was nervous as fuck.

As he approached the front door he took a moment to close his eyes and breathe in. It was going to be okay, he struggled to believe as he reached up and rang the door bell, stepping back and shoving his hands deep into his jacket pockets.

He hopped up and down a bit on the balls of his heels as he waited, his stomach dropping significantly as the front door creaked open.

"Craig? What the fuck are you doing here?" Clyde's familiar voice asked, though he didn't sound overly aggressive.

"Uh…hey…" he said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "can I…uh…fuck, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, realizing he probably was going to say no. Still…they were really close at one point, maybe he could find it in his heart.

Clyde looked him over for a second before raising his eyebrows, shaking his head and letting out a sigh, "yeah, alright sure…" he complied as he stepped forward and shut the door behind him.

Craig felt his heart skip a beat. Really? He was going to listen to him? He couldn't help but smile a bit, which didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't get your panties all wet…I can only talk for a minute, alright?" he insisted as he walked away from the house.

"Yeah, sure," Craig said hastily, eager to please his ex-best friend. He followed behind him as Clyde walked to the curb and had himself a seat. Once they were both seated Craig pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a drag.

"You want one?" he offered, holding out the pack towards Clyde.

"Nah, dude. I don't do that shit anymore," he insisted.

It was true. Since he and Craig had stopped hanging out he'd really cleaned up his act. Still…there was a part of him that missed the trouble they used to cause. They fucking reeked havoc in South Park back in the day.

"Yeah, right…" Craig said sheepishly as he put the pack back in his pocket. A moment of silence passed between them as Craig struggled to find the right words.

"Why are you here?" Clyde finally asked, not wanting to beat around the bush for too long.

Craig scratched the back of his head once more, feeling pretty vulnerable.

"Look…uh…I…I never said sorry to you…for what I did," he began, avoiding all eye contact with the boy he'd once been so close with.

"No…no you didn't," Clyde agreed, letting out a sigh. So this was what he wanted to talk about, "but it doesn't really make a difference. It was too big and too long ago. Too little too late sort of deal, hate to break it to you."

"I, I know…just…hear me out, alright? Please."

Clyde looked at him, surprised to meet his friend's crystal eyes. It wasn't often they made eye contact these days. Despite his better judgement he let out a weighted sigh.

"Okay…what is it?"

Craig breathed in, trying to prepare himself for what he had to say, "okay…um…here's the thing. When you were, let's say…scolding me…in the lunch room the other day…I didn't mean to be the way I was. I just can't help it…you know me. You know this. The thing is…what I wanted to say…I mean, the way I feel is…uh…"

Clyde was looking at him, curiosity in his eyes. Craig struggled but managed to let out a defeated sigh, "what I'm trying to say, Clyde, is that I really fucking miss you. I miss you and I know I fucked up. I'm a fucking asshole and I know it and I'm afraid to admit it…but…I fucking need you right now. I don't have anyone. I'm staying with the Marsh's now and we're all supposed to come together and be one big family but I just can't. My family is fucking _dead_. They're never coming back…please…I…I just can't do this shit alone, man…I can't."

Clyde stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. Where the fuck was this coming from? Craig actually sounded like he meant it.

"I…well…look…okay. But…I can't promise things are going to be the way they were. I don't really feel the same about you…it won't happen over night…"

"I know, I know. Just…can you at least be at the funeral this weekend? It would mean a lot to me."

Clyde felt like his head was spinning.

"Yeah, okay…yeah," he said quietly before falling into another long silence.

Craig was the first to break it.

"Okay, well, I gotta go. I've got some shit I gotta do…thanks for the chat."

"Yeah, sure…" he responded, also standing up.

An awkward moment passed between the two of them as they contemplated whether or not to hug. They both wanted to embrace, but both of them had too much pride to go there just yet. Craig sniffed before speaking.

"Alright, later…" he said simply before striding off towards his truck, starting it and driving off.

Clyde watched listlessly as he vanished in the distance. Fuck…had that really just happened?

What the hell was happening to Craig...


	11. Chapter 11

It Could Be You

Chapter 11

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Here's another chapter! I've been quite busy between a fifty hour work week and I'm moving as well…hope it's worth the wait, even if it's short.)

"How are you feeling?" Mr. Mackey asked, cautiously eyeing the young man before him. He had trudged into his office on his own, dirty, eyes glazed over with dark circles beneath them. He looked tired and, perhaps, grief ridden. He wasn't okay.

"I didn't go home last night," he stated as he took a drag of the cigarette he'd lit himself. It was about ten A.M., he hadn't bothered to go to his first few classes.

"Mmmkay, and where is that? Do you mean the Marsh's?"

Normally, Craig would've smirked, scoffed and had himself a field day with that comment; it was the perfect set up to create an uncomfortable environment for the quirky school counselor. However, he wasn't in that sort of mood. Instead, he allowed the stale, thick air between them to remain tense and stand offish. This was therapeutic warfare; he wasn't about to lose.

"Yeah…I didn't go back to them," he responded flatly, his eyes dull and despondent.

Mr. Mackey nodded, his thumbs twiddling quietly with one another as he struggled to figure out the unstable adolescent before him.

"Where did you sleep?" he questioned, deciding to take a step-by-step approach.

"In my truck."

The counselor nodded once more before sighing and leaning back in his seat. Perhaps a more casual disposition would open Craig up. He was pleased to see his blue eyes focus on him, the noise of his adjustment catching his attention.

"Mmmkay, and where was your truck?" he urged, knowing damn well something significant had happened to him last night.

Craig leaned back in his chair a bit, seeming to mock the counselor's new demeanor. He chose to ignore it, knowing Craig was trying to provoke him. He caught a slight twinge in his lip, showing his dissatisfaction at the lack of response. Perhaps he was getting under his skin; this would be good.

"I parked it in the driveway of my parents house."

Mr. Mackey swallowed. He was getting somewhere.

"Did you go inside?"

Craig was pleased to see the counselor intrigued by his response. He wasn't lying though. That wasn't part of the game.

"No."

The counselor put his elbow on the arm of his chair and pressed his finger to his forehead, staring at the teenager before him. He wanted to continue prodding, but he also wanted Craig to acknowledge the fact that he wanted to divulge. He stared ahead at him expectantly, causing Craig to suck down another healthy drag of his cigarette before leaning forward. His crystal blue eyes burned with intensity as he stared Mr. Mackey down, his voice harsh as he spoke.

"Don't you want to know what I did there?"

The counselor nodded, remaining cool and calm…mirroring Craig's usual attitude. He could tell it was driving the kid nuts, though he too remained somewhat stable.

"I jerked off…right in the driveway. I fucked myself until I came and fell asleep."

Craig leaned back and folded his arms across his chest, staring at his counselor expectantly. Much to his distaste, there wasn't much of a response.

"Why did you do that?" was all he decided to say.

Craig furrowed his brow, growing further displeased with the situation. Mr. Mackey had figured him out.

"Because…I haven't been laid in a while. The girl I want won't fuck me," he said, frustration starting to become apparent in his tone.

"Mmmkay, and why is that?"

Craig shifted his weight a bit, almost becoming uncomfortable. Mr. Mackey watched, quietly observing as his demeanor switched from arrogant to cautious and guarded.

"Because…uh…it wouldn't be a good idea."

Mr. Mackey rubbed his finger across his brow before sighing once more and leaning forward, his elbows safely returned to his desk. Craig swallowed hard as he mulled over what he'd done. He'd texted Wendy, shortly after his meet with Clyde, and told her he didn't want to hook up at Stark's Pond, from which point he proceeded to his parents to wallow.

"Who is she, Craig?"

Craig's crystal blue eyes, some life returning to them, began to waver.

"Wendy Testaburger. I think the rest is pretty fuckin' obvious," he said quietly, his gaze falling down to the cigarette in his hand.

Mr. Mackey eyed him for a moment before clearing his throat, "well…what do you feel? Do you feel like you could do something like that to Stan?"

Craig's eyes continued to waver, a small layer of moisture becoming apparent. He leaned back, curled his legs to his chest and sniffled a bit before looking towards the counselor.

"You know something…that's the part that scares me."

His gaze was piercing as the counselor felt himself growing uncomfortable. Still, he waited patiently for the rest.

"I could…and, if she gives me the chance, I will."

Mr. Mackey eyed him for a moment, taking note of how profound that statement was for the teen before him. He was learning something about himself, and furthermore, acknowledging it.

"When did you realize this?" he asked, knowing all too well Craig had a reputation for burning bridges when it came to sex.

Craig blew out a puff of air from his lips, causing a slight purring sound, "I dunno…I guess seeing Clyde yesterday got me thinking…"

"You spoke with Clyde?" the counselor interrupted, a little surprised. He was aware they hadn't spoken in quite some time.

Craig's blue eyes were fixated on him, realizing he was starting to divulge. He thought for a moment about pulling back and growing defiant but, after it had passed, he thought better of it. It wouldn't _kill _him to talk about some shit.

"Uh, yeah…yeah, I did. I went by his house…asked him to come to the funeral this weekend."

Mr. Mackey sat himself up, a somewhat pleased expression on his face.

"Well, that's good Craig. I'm glad to hear you're reaching out and asking for help, mmmkay…that's real progress."

For a second, he felt anger rush through him. How presumptuous of him to think he _needed _anyone's assistance! Who the Hell did he think he was? And furthermore, why the fuck would he care? Sure, he was the counselor and it was his job to care…but did he really? He sat, mouth open and dumbfounded for several seconds before the heat of anger flushed itself out, replaced by a bit of amusement. He raised his eyebrows, shook his head and let out a small laugh.

"Yeah…okay, sure. I guess it is," he sighed, realizing his defeat. There was no argument to be made.

Mr. Mackey smiled at him before continuing to prod.

"Well, did he say he would go?"

Craig smiled to himself, putting his hand to his head, "yeah…yeah he said he would."

The counselor continued to smile before regaining his composure. His work definitely wasn't finished, though he was pleased with the milestone he'd reached. Craig was beginning the healing process; acknowledging there were neglected issues in his personal life. It was all very promising.

"And this got you thinking about the appropriateness of your situation with Wendy, I'm guessing?" he continued, deciding it was in Craig's interest to further examine the situation.

Craig shrugged before leaning forward and putting his cigarette out in a small ashtray on Mr. Mackey's desk. He'd bought it just for his sessions with Craig.

"Yeah. I guess I just…well…" his face showed an enormous amount of strain as he tried to piece it together, "…I guess I just thought it would be better to stay away from her, that's all."

The counselor nodded, carefully putting the puzzle together. Still…there was something nagging at him.

"But you're still worried, aren't you?" he urged.

Craig eyed him for a second before letting out a sigh, "what if…what if I'm in love with her? Would that change anything? I mean, what if it wasn't just fucking I was interested in? What if I couldn't get her off of my mind? What if I thought absolutely everything about her was perfect? What if I thought I could make her happier than Stan? And…even worse…what if…" he paused, his eyes wavering once more, "…what if she felt the same?"

Mr. Mackey swallowed hard, knowing damn well he wasn't really being hypothetical. This kid had real feelings for Wendy. It wasn't physical bullshit, and it was fairly obvious despite his efforts to be discreet.

"Well, Craig," he began cautiously, not entirely sure what the right move would be. Just because he was a counselor didn't mean he had all of the answers, "What do you think you should do?"

Craig tapped his hand on the arm of his chair, visibly aggravated.

"You want to know what I think?"

Mr. Mackey nodded at him, indicating his desire to hear his thoughts.

"I think I can't get through this life without at _least _asking her how she feels."

He was worried he might say that. The counselor swallowed, unsure of what to say. Craig stared at him for several seconds before letting out a sigh and standing up. They eyed each other for a moment before Craig smirked at him and waved his hand carelessly.

"Don't worry, whatever I decide to do it's not your fault. I'm a basket case…quit trying to fix me," he offered before tapping the desk and walking out of the office, leaving the counselor worried and, admittedly, confused.

Perhaps he was right; maybe he couldn't be fixed.


	12. Chapter 12

It Could Be You

Chapter 12

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews! They are so sweet! I'm so happy you guys are enjoying this story…it's been a blast writing it.)

"I can't believe he didn't come home last night…my dad is going ape shit," Stan said, irritation heavy in his voice.

Kyle shook his head before shooting an accusing glance towards Wendy. He wasn't sure where Craig went last night, but he had a hunch it was in her company. Something was definitely going on between those two.

Wendy slouched downwards, pulling her shoulders in to appear small under Kyle's unforgiving gaze. She knew what he thought, she knew he was wrong, but she couldn't say anything about it; that would mean admitting she had feelings in the first place. Best to just leave it alone. No crime had been committed on her part, so any accusations would be fruitless. Besides, she knew he wouldn't say anything to Stan without some sort of proof. He wasn't a fool.

"Well, sounds about right to me," Eric insisted, squeezing Bebe close to him.

Wendy couldn't help but feel a pang in her belly as she looked at the two of them. They'd been all over each other in the few days that had passed since Craig broke up with her. How had she moved on so quickly? Clearly she had no feelings in the first place; why had she made such a big deal? She was stupid sometimes, that was for sure.

"He's such a fucking asshole! I knew letting him over was a bad fucking idea…" Stan continued to rant, unwilling to admit that, deep down, he was slightly worried. His father had been up all night, constantly calling Craig's phone. Stan, out of both sympathy for his father and genuine concern, had even tried to reach him a few times. Had Randy been able to fall asleep he would've gotten into his car and gone looking for him, but he hadn't. He didn't want to make him worry about him, too.

"Holy shit," Bebe murmured softly to herself, turning her head and blowing out a bit of air from between her lips. The rest of the table looked upwards, tensions running high as they all spotted Craig. There he was, strolling through the lunchroom, tray in hand, looking for a place to sit. No sooner had they spotted him before he'd caught their frustrated gazes. He swallowed hard, discomfort suddenly rising in his belly. Fuck…Stan. The Marsh's must've been beside themselves last night. An enormous amount of guilt suddenly settled into his stomach as he quickly thought of running away once more. He even went so far as to take a step backwards, his eyes unwilling to break from Stan's angry stare.

No. He couldn't do that. He couldn't be that selfish; it was bad enough what he'd already done. He swallowed hard as he slowly took a step forward, eyes still locked on his brother's. Both of the boys felt nauseated as he approached, neither certain of what they would say. It felt like an eternity as he drew near, having himself a seat beside Kyle, across from Stan and Wendy. Bebe, being the drama queen that she was, abruptly picked up her tray and walked away, causing Eric to follow suit. It was just the five of them now, including Kenny.

"Hey," Craig said, somewhat sheepishly.

"Hey," was all Stan could manage in return.

An awkward silence settled between the two of them as Stan looked him over, noting the dark circles under his tired, saddened eyes. Clearly he hadn't been out fucking around, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone else at the table.

"Dude," Stan began cautiously, aware something was up, "where were you last night? My dad was freaking out…"

"I know," he spat out awkwardly, sounding almost tearful, "I'm really sorry. I fucked up," he admitted, staring down at the lunch table. Apologizing wasn't easy to come by for him, so he preferred to avoid eye contact when possible.

Stan nodded his head, quietly understanding it had been a tough night for his half-brother. He felt a deep sympathy stirring inside himself. Fuck; he did care.

"Look…" Craig continued, feeling obligated to try and explain himself, "…when I left yesterday…I went to see Clyde. It just…I just needed to be alone afterwards…so I parked my truck in the driveway of my old house," he admitted, unable to go any further into detail. He had no desire to explain the bit about Wendy.

"It's okay, Dude. You don't need to explain, I get it," Stan offered, trying to ease the situation. He had been furious with Craig but, well, now that he saw him face to face it was melting away. Amazing how quickly one could forgive someone they cared for.

Craig tapped his hand on the table nervously for a second before speaking up, "thanks, man."

Stan nodded before returning his attention to his food, no longer having an appetite. All he did was push his food around with his fork, attempting to look busy. As he did so, Craig pulled his phone out of his pocket and casually starting typing a message into it, wanting to end the nauseating moment he'd just shared with his brother. He didn't want to go on this way; he didn't want to get any closer to him. How could he possibly allow that when he wanted nothing more than to bed his girl? It just wasn't right. He couldn't have a relationship with both.

Wendy's eyes widened a bit as she felt her phone go off in her pocket, relieved it was on silent. It was loud enough with the chatter in the cafeteria that Stan didn't take note. She cleared her throat abruptly under the discomfort of the moment, catching his gaze.

"Babe, I've gotta use the restroom," she blurted out, not sure of what else she could say. There was no way in Hell she was going to read a text from Craig that close to Stan; he would see it, for sure. Jesus, he was being careless, which frightened her. This meant he was gaining confidence, and confidence meant he was getting closer to finding his way to get to her. He was already closer than he probably thought.

"Yeah, alright," he said, a hint of confusion in his voice. She was acting a little funny. She nodded towards him, lamely attempting to offer a comforting smile before standing up. As she stood, she happened to catch another accusing look from Kyle. He was privy to their method of communication, she was certain of that from the first time he'd done it in the car. If Kyle was going to get any evidence, that was where it would come from. She made a mental note that she'd better inform Craig as she strode quickly away from the table towards the ladies room. Her heart was racing at about a million miles an hour as she plowed the door open, relieved to see no one was in there.

Still, she decided she'd better take refuge in the privacy of a stall. Once safely locked inside she had herself a seat on the toilet and pulled her phone from her pocket, heart pounding as she opened up the text.

"_I'm sorry I blew you off last night. I had to clear my head._"

She felt her heart grow light. She had been deeply wounded by his need to be alone the previous night; she'd been looking forward to Stark's Pond, though it was probably better he'd spent it without her. She was certain she couldn't have controlled herself had he tried anything.

She let out a sigh as she typed in her response.

"_It's okay. It's probably for the best anyway. Hey, you should delete these texts when we're done…Kyle is noticing._"

She felt a little nauseous as she hit the send button, dreading the wait for his response. It always felt like an eternity between texts. She wished they could just talk face to face; it had already been too long.

As she thought about the agonizing wait, she pleased to hear the vibration of her phone once more. She eagerly opened his message.

"_I will delete the, I promise. You know, I thought it was for the best, too. That's why I did it…but you know what else? I was wrong…I should've seen you last night. We've been dancing around this shit for too long, Wendy. I want to tell you to your face, but the fact is I'm brave enough right now. I fucking care about you…I have real feelings for you and we're either going to do this or we're not…you can take a bit to think about it, but we can't keep talking like this if it isn't going somewhere…I've got enough on my plate without this pain._"

Wendy felt a strong pit forming in her stomach. Jesus; he'd said it. He'd actually said it. Now she was going to be forced to come out with it. Fuck; this wasn't a decision she was ready to make. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She felt her stomach lurching as she struggled to find the right words.

"_I have to think…I'm sorry, I don't have an answer for you right now. I have feelings for you too…I just don't know if I can actually go there with you. I love Stan, Craig. But…when I think about you I go out of my mind…I've never felt so much pull towards someone._"

As she hit the send button, she heard the bathroom door crashing open, causing her to jump. She looked under the bottom of the stall as she heard a commotion by the door. It looked like Craig's shoes…but…what would he be doing in the girl's bathroom?

"Craig…?" she said cautiously, not entirely sure it was him.

"Yeah, it's me…" he confirmed.

She pushed the door of the stall open, realizing he'd pinned a trashcan between the door and one of the closer sinks. He wasn't going to let anyone else in. Fuck…what was he doing?

"I'm sorry," he insisted as he approached her, knowing she was freaked out, "I just didn't think it was right to tell you over the phone…you deserve to hear it from me for real," he explained, grabbing her hands and holding them to his chest. Her violet eyes seemed huge as he gazed into them.

"What is it?" she asked, genuinely confused. He'd already told her he cared about her. She wasn't sure if it was a relief or not that it wasn't just sexual.

"Wendy," he began, suddenly realizing he was vulnerable and terrified, "Wendy, I love you," he said abruptly, unsure of how else to say it.

Her eyes widened as she bit her lower lip. She was afraid too. He felt a pang of sympathy as he pulled her close, touching his hand to her face. He rubbed her cheek reassuringly.

"It's okay, I don't expect anything from you…I just…I just had to tell you," he admitted, acknowledging he was flawed in that way.

"I know," she whispered as she touched his chin, commanding eye contact. He obliged.

"I love you too…" she admitted, unsure as to how in the Hell it had happened. She was, indeed, in love with two different people; two brothers. Fuck; she was in it this time.

Craig breathed in sharply, his hands shaking profusely. He was so fucking vulnerable.

"Fuck," he let out a sigh, "fuck this isn't fair," he complained, allowing a frustrated to tear to run down his face.

"I'm sorry," she offered, having no other comforting words.

"Don't be," he sighed, "we can't help it."

She nodded before trying to let go of his hand.

"Wait," he said, startling her just a bit. He realized he should lower his voice, "wait…" he whispered as he touched the back of her head, pulling her face close.

"No…not while I'm with Stan…" she protested, pulling back slightly.

His blue eyes radiated pain for a split second, which broke her heart.

"Please…just let me kiss you…just once. I won't ask you for it again…I just have to know what you taste like."

She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she considered the danger in the situation. However, weaker heads prevailed and, slowly, she allowed him to pull her face to his, pressing his lips against her's gently. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, along with his, as he slid his tongue into her mouth, touching hers. She felt temperature rising as she returned the favor, the two of them breathing heavily as they kissed passionately. She felt an uncontrollable heat rushing throughout her body as he lifted her up and pushed her back up against the nearest wall, beginning to kiss her needily and forcefully. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair as she moaned and continued to kiss him, even pressing herself up against him closer. She wanted him, she wanted him so fucking badly. As she reveled in her desire and frustration, a sob escaped her lips, causing Craig to pull his face away. She was crying.

"Oh baby…I'm sorry," he whispered as he attempted to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"No…no, it's okay," she insisted as he gently ran his finger along her cheek.

He stood back, allowing her to plant her legs firmly onto the ground once more, watching as she attempted to compose herself.

"Call me tonight…" was all she could manage before she strode past him, yanking the trash can away from the door and exiting the restroom. Craig stood there, panting and doing his best to ignore the erection he'd acquired during their make out session. Fuck; what a mess.


	13. Chapter 13

It Could Be You

Chapter 13

By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Sorry, again, for the long delay. I'm struggling a bit getting this story from point A to B…usually happens to me around this point in a story. Also, I've been very busy planning a WEDDING because my boyfriend proposed to me! Hehe…anyway, here's what I've come up with!)

Wendy sat quietly in her room, tear stained cheeks with the slightest bit of blackened mascara painted in. Her long, black hair was pulled into a loose bun atop her head as she pressed her hand to her forehead, finding herself very sickened over the kiss she'd shared with Craig. She'd officially done it; she'd cheated on Stan. After all of these years of what she'd considered to be such certainty and solidity, she was doubting their relationship. Guilt clenched her stomach, wringing it mercilessly as her mind remained in a state of tug-of-war. Who did she want? Stan, or his half-brother Craig? The answer remained cloudy, though every time she drew near a conclusion, the impulse to vomit grew to strong. She simply wasn't ready to face this.

"Fuck," she whispered to herself as she dropped her arm to her side and turned her attention to the window. It was dark and the moon was shining brilliantly into her room. As she gazed at it, she couldn't help but wonder how the evening had gone with the Marsh's. Craig had disappeared and left everyone riddled with desperate worry; how had he been received? Stan didn't appear to be angry with him anymore once they'd seen how wrecked he looked in the cafeteria. Perhaps the family greeted him the same?

Selfishly, she almost hoped they didn't. She didn't want the Marsh's to accept him, on some greedy level. It would make things easier if they all rejected him and forced him to exist separate from them; then, perhaps, she could run away with him. Of course, if anyone found out about what was going on between them, perhaps that would happen anyway.

Her stomach lurched once more. Christ. She didn't want to be responsible for him losing another shot at having the warmth of a family that loved him. He'd already lost one! How many kids actually get a second chance? Most of them wind up in foster care, bouncing from home to home, sheltered by people who never really gave a damn. Jesus; she couldn't allow herself to get between this opportunity. Not if she really loved him…

…and love him she did.

…

Craig sat listlessly in his new room. The Marsh's had put it together for him the day he'd gone missing, which made him feel even guiltier for his disappearance. However, no one really seemed to pay any mind to it. Sharon had simply hugged him, told him she was glad he was okay, and given him a sandwich. It certainly hadn't been what he'd expected to come home to, that was for sure.

Despite everything, really, he'd shared a pretty peaceful and pleasant evening with the Marsh's. Once Randy had gotten home from work they all sat together, consumed a delicious, hot meal and discussed their day. Of course, Craig hadn't divulged very much to the nature of his whereabouts in the hours he'd gone missing, but he did manage to feed them with small tales of his daily routines at school. He'd been assigned an essay, he had a pretty okay lunch time, etcetera, etcetera. Even though he'd felt he was being somewhat false, he did find himself enjoying the evening with Stan's family.

He smirked to himself as he rolled his new computer chair beside the window, cracking it slowly. He didn't want to be too loud, the family had already gone to sleep, preparing for the weekend ahead of them.

As he sneakily pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, he lit it and held the delicious drug as near the window as he could, allowing the gentle night breeze to take the smoke, and it's devilish aroma, away with it.

As he inhaled his much needed hit, he closed his eyes, trying to drink in the entire situation. What a fantastically fucked up and stressful situation he'd landed himself in. Here he was, selfishly sitting in this amazing, furnished, freshly painted, brand new room the Marsh's had put together for him and all he could think about was the temptation of running away with his brother's girl.

"God…" he murmured to himself as he rolled his eyes, took another hit and turned his attention to the sky.

The moon was bright, commanding his attention. He smiled softly, feeling oddly calm as he laid eyes upon it. He wasn't sure what it was, but at that moment, he felt okay. Perhaps the choices he had lying ahead of him weren't so clear, but at least he could enjoy the rare, comforting quiet of a moonlit night.

…

Stan could smell the smoke drifting from Craig's room into his window, causing him to roll his eyes. Christ, he was such a jackass. First he disappears for damn near 24 hours, then he starts smoking in the nice, new room his parents had set up for him. What a dick.

He paused for a moment, staring at the notebook paper he had in his lap. He needed to write a paper about a life changing experience, but he had no idea what the fuck to say. He didn't want to write about any of this drama with Craig. Not because he was embarrassed or sickened by it. No, mostly he didn't want to write about it because he wasn't sure exactly where things were going or how he felt about them. In all honesty, he was more confused than he'd been in years. Not to mention, he couldn't even talk it out with Wendy. She'd been distant these days, and he couldn't get her to talk about what was wrong with her. He was starting to think things might be getting worse with her parents; they'd been having problems for quite a few years now. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if things were escalating at home. She wasn't one to talk about such matters. As surprising as it may have been to those who didn't know her, Wendy was a very proud girl and she kept her affairs private. It was something that he both admired and worried about.

"Ugh," he whined to himself as he listlessly tossed his notebook to the side of him. He wasn't ready to write about things. He wasn't ready to admit that, despite all resistance and odds against it, he was starting to actually, kind of, care about Craig and his welfare.

"Goddamnit," he growled under his teeth as he angrily shot himself up, more pissed with himself than anything, and opened his door.

He felt his heartbeat quicken as he approached Craig's door, not sure if he should knock. Clearly the kid wasn't jerking off or anything; he could still smell him smoking.

"Fuck it," he mumbled as he grabbed the knob and opened the door, though surprisingly not being overly aggressive about it.

He felt a large amount of uncertainty and nervousness washing over him as their eyes met, a confused, yet not unwelcome look upon Craig's face.

"Hey, dude," he said awkwardly, staring at Stan in his doorway. What the hell was he doing?

"Hey," Stan replied, noting the awkward situation he'd so quickly created, "uh…can I come in?"

"Uh, yeah…for sure," Craig stated, taking a drag of his cigarette and averting his eyes. And just like that, his peaceful moment was gone. Figures.

"So, uh, what's up, Stan?" he pried, lifting one of his knees to his chest and wrapping his free arm around it. His crystal blue eyes were piercing as Stan cautiously made his way over to the bed and had himself a seat.

"Not much…I guess I was just sort of bored," he admitted. There was some truth to that.

"Oh," was all Craig could manage as he widened his eyes, showing the briefest moment of exasperation. Stan was slightly wounded by it.

"I mean, unless you want to be alone…I just figured since we _are _brothers and all…well…couldn't we, like, hangout or something?"

The series of emotions that quickly burst in and out of him were difficult to process, though on some level he did. He was first hit with a wave of eagerness. Stan actually wanted to hang out with him? This is the first big sign of acceptance and, somewhere in his heart, he'd been yearning for it. However, at that realization he was instantly hit with guilt. Here he was, receiving the affection he'd been pining for and he had to accept that fact that he'd made out with his girlfriend. Then came the shame. The briefest moment of self-loathing crashed over him like a giant wave, nearly choking him as it washed through his body. However, once it had crashed it left a sense of acceptance and openness that he hadn't really expected. This is the way life was, wasn't it? Wave after wave of intolerable emotions, followed by the bubbling foam of acceptance left to settle into the sand.

He couldn't help but smirk as he looked towards his brother.

"Yeah, I guess we should," he somewhat chuckled as he finished off his cigarette, lifting his pant leg and putting it out in the usual place.

"Jesus, what're you doing that for?" Stan asked, a little surprised as he took notice of the hole Craig was creating near his ankle.

"Huh?" Craig mumbled as he looked up, completely caught off guard. He'd forgotten that was a weird habit of his; normal people don't put cigarettes out with their own flesh. He cleared his throat as he realized he was going to have to say something.

"Oh, uh…yeah, I dunno…I just do that sometimes. It's not too bad…"

Stan eyed him for a moment, supposing it was probably therapeutic for him on some level; like those kids who cut themselves. He wanted to be the one to offer words of wisdom, however he thought better of himself. That wasn't the way to reach Craig; he did respond well to life-advice from anyone, let alone someone he was just starting to get along with.

"Well…I guess I'll get you an ash tray for Christmas," was all he could manage.

Craig laughed a little, surprising Stan. He had meant to be funny, though he hadn't expected his joke to be received with such warmth. He felt a small amount of comfort settling in. Maybe they actually would be able to be friends. He smiled softly as he continued to examine his brother's behavior.

"So, what did you want to do then, if we're gonna hang out?" Craig asked, realizing he didn't want to just sit there admiring each other. That was just plain weird, even if they were brothers.

"Oh, uh…well…I dunno. What do you usually do for fun?" Stan asked, realizing he was in entirely unfamiliar territory. What the hell did someone like Craig Tucker do for fun?

"I generally smoke a ton of weed, jerk off and fuck around on the internet honestly…but I'm guessing that's not exactly a good way for us to entertain ourselves," he somewhat joked. It was true though, that was usually how he spent his time amusing himself.

Stan nodded his head and chuckled. That was about what he'd expected.

"What do you usually do?" Craig asked, realizing he didn't have a clue what someone like Stan Marsh did to pass the days away.

"Well…" Stan started, raising his eyebrows as he realized how different they were about to sound, "…I usually do all my homework, then I talk to Wendy for a while and sometimes play video games with Kyle, I guess. Oh…and sometimes I jerk off and surf the web," he added jokingly.

Craig nodded, trying to ignore the mention of Wendy's name. He didn't want to think about that right now. All he wanted to do was try and feed the growing connection he and Stan were sharing.

"Well…what the Hell should we do then?" Craig asked, acknowledging how differently they chose to spend their time.

"How about a compromise?" Stan suddenly suggested, understanding that they were going to have to look into each other's worlds if they were going to get anywhere.

Craig raised his eyebrows and focused his eyes on him, indicating he had his attention.

"How about we smoke some weed and play some video games?"

At this, Craig's eyes just about bulged out of his head.

"What? Seriously? You would smoke with me?" he asked, not entirely trusting of the idea. Stan would never.

Stan shuffled is feet a bit, becoming somewhat uncomfortable, "well…maybe. I dunno…I guess…I just don't want to make you act like your someone else for me or anything…"

"Neither do I, Dude. Weed isn't your thing," he stated, a sudden understanding of what Stan was trying to do. He wasn't trying to impress; he was trying to connect.

Stan swallowed looking him over, insecurity clear upon his face. Craig needed to spit something out and fast; he was creating a distance.

"Look," he said before letting out a sigh, "let's not force this. We don't need to be fake or step out of our comfort zones or anything like that. Let's just be real, okay?"

Stan nodded, becoming more at ease. Craig smiled in response, "I like video games, and I play them better when I'm sober anyway…let's just do that."

Stan smiled, almost looking giddy, which somewhat got Craig caught up in the moment.

"Alright, cool…let's go to my room," Stan offered, causing Craig to rise from his seat.

"Sweet…let's go."

And so began the first of many nights the two boys would spend together. First it was just playing video games and then, after some time, it turned into a true love and appreciation for the nature of their relationship. They did, indeed, feel like brothers.

Though, there was always that one pesky thing in the way because, also over time, Craig Tucker couldn't keep his hands off of Wendy Testaberger…even if it meant losing his entire family again.


	14. Chapter 14

It Could Be You

Chapter 14

Written By: StalkerDex

(Author's note: FINALLY! :P Sorry guys! I got proposed to back in January and I have been CRAZY busy planning a wedding…however, things are calming down a bit now and I have had some more time to dedicate to my writing. Hope you guys are still enjoying the story as much as I'm enjoying writing it.)

"Pfffff…" Craig sighed, hoping the elongated breaths he was taking would help to calm his racing heart. It was time. Time to say goodbye…he wasn't sure if he was ready for this.

His blue eyes were telling, his nervousness as plain to see as the day's blue sky, as he straightened out his tie and smoothed his hair to the side. He was hoping, as he stared into the mirror, that he looked appropriate.

"Hey," Randy's gentle voice soothed as he placed his hand on Craig's shoulder, causing the young man to turn and meet his gaze. Randy swallowed before continuing, his nerves shot as well, "we're all here for you. You're not in this alone."

Craig smirked at him, unable to muster up a full smile, though wanting to show his appreciation. Unfortunately for him, a small tear started to form at the corner of his eye, though he quickly wiped it away, returning his gaze to Randy.

A pained look maintained itself upon his face, his darker eyes wavering slightly before he let out a sigh and put his hand to the back of Craig's head, gently pushing it towards his chest. Craig allowed him to pull him close and give him a reassuring embrace. He hadn't expected such a thing, nor would he normally return the sentiment to another male. However, in that moment, for the first time, he felt a small connection growing between he and this man who had suddenly been placed into his life. This was his father and, on some level, he was beginning to feel that love and bond a father and son should share.

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around Randy, squeezing him tightly for just a moment before the two separated. Randy kept his hands firmly on Craig's shoulder looking him over for one more moment before Sharon entered the room, causing them to break the embrace.

"Sorry," she apologized quickly, realizing they were both actually having a moment.

"No…don't be…it's alright," Craig assured, smiling at her warmly.

She returned the sentiment before putting her arm around him and leading him out of the room, placing a motherly kiss atop his head as they left for the dismal event before them.

…

Wendy was sitting outside on the large church's footsteps, unable to enter on her own. There were quite a few people in attendance, which sort of surprised her. How was it that Craig was so un-liked while his family so beloved? What had caused him to turn out such a defiant and difficult teenager? And why, most importantly, was she falling for him so hard? He wasn't even any good for her! Stan was the guy for her. In her head she knew that, for certain. However, her heart was beating to a much different tune.

She grit her teeth hard as she put her hand to her forehead, frustrated beyond all belief. She hadn't even seen him since their little make out session in the restroom. She couldn't bear to face him nor Stan, so she'd stayed away entirely for the past few days, despite the fact it was drawing attention.

"Hey," a familiar voice suddenly interrupted, commanding Wendy's attention.

"Oh…hi…" she said, somewhat flustered as she looked up to see Bebe standing beside her.

Bebe sort of half smiled at her before having herself a seat on the step, a calm quiet falling gently between them. It was never awkward for them. They'd been friends for so long…sometimes the silence was welcoming. It was a time for them both to share their thoughts without actually having to speak.

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in so long," Wendy suddenly apologized, realizing she hadn't really spoken with her treasured friend in quite some time.

"Aw, it's alright. I've been really busy with Cartman. You know…I'm actually having a pretty good time with him. Who'd have thought?"

It was a lie. Actually, things had been going pretty terribly between she and Eric. He was so controlling and domineering and, well, she was still in love with Craig, despite her best efforts. She was sort of jealous Wendy got to see him so often, really. He had some sort of soft spot for Wendy she'd always envied.

"Really? Wow…that's crazy," Wendy chuckled, genuinely believing her friend's lie. Had she not been so caught up with her own drama, perhaps she would've noticing the feign in Bebe's voice.

"Yeah," her friend replied softly, sort of trailing off. She wished Wendy would ask her what was wrong, but she didn't. So, instead, she decided to shift the conversation.

"So…what have you been up to?"

Wendy swallowed, not really wanting to tell Bebe anything. She was aware of how fresh the wounds were from the breakup, and she had no desire to tell her she was interested in her ex.

"Not too much," she responded, not bothering to make eye contact. Bebe shifted a bit, having expected more of an answer. It saddened her to feel the distance growing between them. She wasn't really sure what had even changed…but something had. A large shift had occurred in their relationship and they were growing further and further apart.

She let out a troubled sigh before placing her hand on Wendy's knee to lift herself up.

"Well…I guess I'll see you later, then…" she said, discouragement heavy in her voice.

"Yeah…see you later," Wendy replied, offering her friend a half-hearted smile. Bebe returned with a similar expression before turning herself and heading into the church, her head spinning all the while.

Wendy, on the other hand, found herself quickly forgetting the awkward interaction as Randy Marsh's car pulled up. Here they were. She felt her stomach rise into her chest as she stood up, straightened out her dress, and watched eagerly for Craig to come out. Her stomach lurched and tied itself into knots as the entire family emerged from the car. All the while her lavender eyes focused on Craig. He looked really handsome dressed up in a suit and tie.

She felt her heartbeat begin to race as he approached, his crystal blue eyes locked on her. It was as if no one else was in the world. However, their gaze was suddenly interrupted as she felt a familiar and warm hand grasping hers.

"Hi," she said abruptly, her eyes snapping to meet Stan's. That's who she should've been staring at.

"Hey," he replied, relieved to see her. It had been quite some time since they'd spoken and he found himself a little nervous to be around her. He wasn't sure she even wanted him there and it made him feel rather insecure about himself.

Nonetheless, he felt a bit more comfort as she gave him a quick kiss and rubbed his shoulder before locking her arm with his and greeting the rest of his family.

"Hello," she said gently, smiling at the rest of the Marsh's.

"Oh, hell dear," Sharon said as she gave Wendy a quick half-hug, "we've missed you at the house," she added, commenting on how little she'd been around lately.

"I've missed you, too," was all she could manage, not bothering to come up with an explanation for her absence. She noticed Craig swallowing hard, doing his best to remove himself from the tense situation.

"Well…let's go, then…" he mumbled, pushing himself past everyone.

No one really understood why he was suddenly so brooding and angsty. They hadn't even gone inside yet, after all. However, Wendy knew what it was. He was jealous. He was confused. He hated seeing her in Stan's arms yet, he also loathed the idea of her in his. It was wrong. The entire situation was just wrong.

Wendy lowered her eyes and allowed Stan to lead her inside along with his parents and sister. Once inside, however, the mood changed. Craig's anger seemed to have vanished as he stood half way down the isle. He was fixated on the three coffins. They were, of course, closed casket as they had died a rather brutal death. Still…he knew their bodies were in there. Their dead, lifeless bodies were rotting away in those comfortable boxes. They'd remain there so long as their bones were still strong.

Randy was the one to step up first, walking up to his son's side and placing his hand upon it. It seemed to snap Craig out of his daze, causing him to look at him. Everyone's hearts sank as, suddenly, Craig pulled away and placed his hand to his mouth, a pathetic moan escaping his lips.

"I…I can't do this…" he suddenly spat out, stepping backwards shakily. He looked as though he might pass out, "I can't fucking do this…" he continued, the hand at his mouth trembling uncontrollably. His face was pale as he struggled to control himself. He didn't want to cry in front of everyone. He wouldn't.

"Craig…" Randy began. However, he was interrupted.

"No…I'm sorry…" was all he could manage before shoving his hands into his pockets and quickly striding out of the building. Stan started to follow, however, Wendy grabbed hold of him.

"Hey…what're you doing?" he demanded, irritated that she'd stopped him. However, he realized what was happening as she nodded towards a familiar face.

It was Clyde. He'd been standing in the back of the church. He'd known Craig wouldn't be able to say goodbye to his parents under these circumstances. He was a private kid and he certainly wasn't one to break down and be emotional in front of other people, let alone the whole goddamn town. He'd known this would happen, and he'd been waiting there for the moment he'd be needed. This was, after all, what Craig had asked of him.

He nodded towards Stan, indicating that this wasn't his battle to fight. The Marsh's all realized this was a job for someone who knew Craig best, and they allowed Clyde to go after him while they stayed behind and paid their respects.

By the time Clyde got outside Craig was already out of sight. However, he had a pretty good idea where he'd be going, so he got into his truck and headed to the only place he could think of: the Tucker's old residence. It wasn't long, of course, before he caught up to Craig who had stopped to catch his breath. He was bending over along the side of the road, hands on his knees as he panted heavily.

Clyde pulled up beside him and rolled his passenger window down, a sympathetic look visible on his face. Craig didn't acknowledge him at first, as he was too busy trying to catch his breath. Clyde considered saying something; commanding his attention. However, he decided against it. He knew his friend would speak when he was ready.

After a moment, as predicted, Craig opened the passenger side door and slid himself inside, shutting the door hard behind him. No words were spoken between them as Clyde put the car into drive and took his old friend to his desired destination. A calming silence remained between them both as they stared at the empty, abandoned home before them. No one had cleaned it out. Craig supposed, at some point, he was going to have to go inside and confront his family's things. Face the memories he was most certain were lurking inside.

He shuddered at the thought.

Suddenly, Craig let out a loud sigh, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes hard. It took a moment for Clyde to realize it, but tears slowly started to fall down his face. Still, no words were spoken as Craig moved his hands from behind his head to cover his eyes in a feeble attempt to conceal his tears. However, as he did so his shoulders began to shake as sobs erupted from his small frame. He could no longer contain himself. He had to cry.

Clyde unbuckled himself quickly, sliding into the middle seat of his car and putting his arm around his once-best-friend and pulling him close. It didn't take much effort as Craig dug his face into his friend's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.

Clyde felt sick to his stomach as he put his free hand to the back of his friend's head and held on, feeling as though he'd lose him if he were to let go. It had finally happened. He had finally, on some level, faced the reality that they were gone and, in that moment, the person he'd chosen to confide in was him. Despite everything they'd been through, after all of this time and all of his stupidity, it boiled down to the very simple truth that, no matter what they went through or how unfair either one of them had been and could be, they were best friends and the love they had for one another was never going to go away.

It was only a start, but at least he had something. He had someone who could help him navigate through this gigantic pile of shit he'd found himself in and, for the briefest moment amongst his grief, Craig found the tiniest sliver of relief.


	15. Chapter 15

It Could Be You

Chapter: 15

"Oh, yeah…about that…I can't really hang out today. My mom said I have to stay home and help around the house before my grandparents come to visit," Bebe responded. Cartman had been asking her to hang out at his house, growing frustrated that she wouldn't sleep with him. They'd been dating for quite sometime now and she continued to act as though he were a nuisance. Despite his rough exterior, his feelings were beginning to hurt.

"Oh…well…alright then," he sighed, raising his eyebrows and slumping his shoulders. Bebe felt a twinge of regret. She wasn't going to help her mom, and she couldn't help but think Cartman may have known that. She was right.

"I'll see you tomorrow though," she offered before leaning in and giving him a sympathetic kiss on the cheek. This only furthered Cartman's insecurity.

"Yeah, see ya," he sighed as he felt his heart sinking. He couldn't help but feel a mixture of longing and hatred as he watched her bound away. She'd been disappearing a lot lately, making up excuses, not answering her phone. He knew she was up to something and he couldn't help but think that something was Craig.

He felt his teeth grinding at the thought of that asshole touching his girlfriend. What was her hang up with him anyway? Why couldn't she just move on? He was such a dick to her and, despite the asshole Cartman knew he could be, he was trying his best to treat her right. The only thing he couldn't seem to restrain was his awful clinginess. He knew he was domineering and he knew she felt controlled, perhaps even trapped, but he was just so afraid of losing her…

He put his hand to his forehead and shut his eyes tight. Something needed to be done.

…

Bebe plopped into her car and sighed, relieved to be away from Cartman. It was growing more and more stressful to be around him, causing her stomach to be in knots. She was certain she'd develop an ulcer if she didn't come clean soon. Nonetheless, she noticed the knots untying and butterflies taking flight as she started her car and drove towards his house. She was so thrilled they were talking, and thoroughly surprised that they were. They'd been meeting in secret ever since the day of the funeral. For whatever reason, she couldn't explain, after all of this time he'd caught her eye and she'd caught his.

"Whew…" she breathed out once more, excitement growing in her chest as she approached their meeting point: Stark's Pond. It wasn't long before she spotted his truck parked amongst the shade of the trees. She pulled up beside it, meeting his hazel eyes as he hopped out of the truck. She hastily got out, unable to control herself as she landed into his arms. He squeezed her tight before she immediately planted desperate kisses onto his soft lips. It wasn't Craig, but it was damn near the closest to him she could have.

He quickly responded, teasing her tongue with his and gripping her hard. After the passionate kiss, as the two of them breathed heavily, they spoke.

"I've missed you, Clyde…" she cooed.

"I've missed you too," he responded, smiling affectionately before rekindling their kiss. They made love in his truck for most of the afternoon that day.

…

"I don't know, man. I can't figure it out…she's just been so withdrawn. I mean, if things are bad at home why does she have to cut me out? I wouldn't judge her for it," Stan reasoned out loud, Kyle listening intently at his side.

The two friends were hanging out in Stan's room as they always had, discussing whatever major events happened to be consuming their lives at the moment. Today, however, as has been increasingly noticed, Wendy's absence was dominating their chatter.

Kyle couldn't help but acknowledge the pit growing in his stomach. He had long suspected something may be developing between Craig and Wendy, but the thought was so despicable he didn't dare share it. Especially not now; not now that Craig and Stan had grown close. In fact, recently they'd grown so close Kyle felt a little neglected. He wasn't jealous, but he had noticed Stan really seemed to bond and care for Craig. It really wouldn't be a problem, except he was fairly certain Craig and Wendy were fooling around.

"I don't know…I can't really explain it," Kyle said, saddened at his hunch. Still, until he was certain there was no way he would say anything to Stan. All he could do was be there for him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to lose her," Stan admitted, commanding Kyle's attention.

Kyle furrowed his brow, his emerald eyes emulating concern, "why do you think that? I mean, if she's having problems with her family why should that break you two apart?"

Stan shook his head, his mouth open with a loss for words.

"I…shit…I don't know. Maybe that's not it. Maybe she's tired of me?" he whined, his eyes welling up with tears.

Kyle swallowed hard, growing uncomfortable. Fuck. It really was getting bad.

"I'm sure she's not," he quickly spat out, wanting to comfort Stan more than anything, "you guys are just growing up…maybe she's trying to work a few things out."

Stan seemed to calm himself a bit at that notion, though he was still clearly distressed.

"Yeah…maybe," he trailed off a bit, his eyes wandering.

Kyle eyed him sympathetically for a moment before putting his hand on Stan's shoulder.

"Look…you've been stressed out of your mind lately…why don't we just forget about all the bullshit for a day and hang out?" he offered.

Stan smirked at him before letting out a sigh and straightening himself up.

"Yeah, yeah…okay. You're right…fuck all the bullshit man…let's just get outta here."

Kyle smiled at him, though once Stan had walked past him it disappeared. Something was clearly going on, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to find out.

…

Wendy bit her lower lip, attempting to keep herself quiet as the familiar and overwhelming feeling of Craig inside her plummeted her into a strong, pulsating orgasm. Craig could feel her body tightening as she climaxed, causing him to bury his face into her damp shoulder as he moved with more conviction into the warmer regions of her body. He felt himself begin to cum as he let out a few almost pathetic grunts. She wrapped her legs around him tight before the two of them relaxed their muscles, Craig's body going limp atop her.

They both struggled to control their erratic breath and rapidly beating hearts as their body temperatures began to lower. It had been one of a what felt like a million times, but they still couldn't get enough of each other.

"Fuck…this is so wrong," Wendy sighed, a familiar wave of guilt washing over her.

It was always this way. They'd try desperately to resist each other, each of them having deep attachments to the Marsh's, but eventually would succumb. It felt good; it felt right. That was, until the deed was done. Then the perpetual sinking feeling of agonizing self loathing would settle back in, tearing at their hearts until their next passionate union.

"I know," Craig breathed out, squeezing her arm affectionately.

The sentiment was short lived as he quickly raised himself up and stumbled hastily into his clothing. Shame; it was the only appropriate description of what he felt.

Wendy, still breathing heavily, put her hands to her head and shut her eyes.

"We can't keep doing this. Fuck…I can see how much you resent me…"

He stopped abruptly, his blue eyes locking on hers. She suddenly regretted the statement, despite how much she'd meant it. Sometimes it was better not to share.

"Why would you say that?"

She let out a sigh, sitting herself up and clutching the blanket to her chest to keep herself covered.

"Because you do. Why else would you be like this?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely confused. He really wasn't even aware of his behavior.

"What do I mean? I mean that you're insatiable until you've had me and then you just hustle out of here. You won't even look me in the eye when you're done…"

A silence settled between them as Craig realized the weight of what she had to say. It was true. Wendy bit her lower lip nervously as she looked him over before returning one of her hands to her forehead.

"I'm sorry…It's okay. I can't really blame you."

Craig shifted uncomfortably before responding.

"It's just that…he's my brother…I…" a long pause as the two of them looked each other over, "...I love you, but I love him, too. What am I supposed to do?"

Wendy shook her head, unsure of what to say. She eventually decided it was better to leave it alone and let him be on his way.

"I love you too. Don't worry about it. We'll figure something out."

Craig eyed her for just a moment before finishing dressing himself. Normally he would bolt out of her room, not bothering to look back. Today, however, he walked to her, pressed his hands firmly to her cheeks, kissed her atop the head affectionately and looked her in the eyes.

"Yes. We will."

She couldn't help but doubt it.


	16. Chapter 16

It Could Be You

Chapter: 16

Written By: StalkerDex

(Author's Note: Thank you for the kind reviews :) Yes! I took a bold move and decided to jump forward a bit! Don't worry…I will include the intimacy between Craig and Wendy. ;P I wanted to give you a glimpse of where it leads them first. The stuff written in Italics is a flash-back. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!)

Craig laid quietly on his back, hands behind his head doing nothing but staring at the cold, blank ceiling. How in the Hell had he let things get this far? He knew what he was doing would only destroy any hope of a family he'd had. Yet…he just couldn't stop! At first…it had been so…alluring. Now, the guilt was swallowing him whole and, as much as he hated it, it was hurting Wendy too.

His stomach lurched. The thought of hurting her was unbearable. The thought of hurting Stan was unbearable. This entire goddamn situation was unbearable! What the Hell was he supposed to do?

He bit his lower lip as his mind started to wander. Wendy…Wendy Testaburger…my what a grand mistake she was…

_ "Craig…listen…I know we kissed and it was…" she took in a deep breath, her lavender eyes heavy with worry, "…well, it was amazing. But, I'm with Stan. You're his brother for God's sake…"_

_ "Then leave him," Craig stated flatly, letting his words get ahead of him._

_ Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Sure, she'd considered it, but she'd hardly thought that Craig would go there._

_ "Well…no…no I can't do that. It wouldn't fix anything. We still couldn't be together…"_

_ "No, but at least I wouldn't have to try so hard to stop myself."_

_ A soft understanding settled in as she looked him over. He looked frail, sickly and troubled. Clearly things had been weighing heavily on his mind. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could he pressed his lips onto hers once more, commanding every fiber of her being to his attention. She immediately grasped his face with her hands, tears welling in her eyes, her stomach aching, her heart pounding. This wasn't just a crush. This wasn't even lust. This was…_

_ "Wendy," he spoke abruptly, breaking their kiss and holding onto her beautiful face with his kind hands, "after going to that funeral…after facing that…" he breathed in, a pained hardness creeping onto his face. She could tell he was holding back tears as he breathed a bit more, trying to control himself, "…It's just that…life is short. Life can be gone in the blink of an eye and I don't know a whole Hell of a lot but there's one thing I do know," he paused, their eyes locked, "I love you Wendy and I don't want to live my life with the regret of never having called you mine."_

_ "Oh…" she breathed out, overwhelmed as her eyes fluttered, allowing tears to fall down._

It had been the first of many times that they'd made love and it was a memory Craig was certain he would hold dear for the rest of his life, regardless of how horribly things may go. As he thought about her, his feelings for her and their situation he couldn't help but a feel a stab of guilt in the pit of his stomach. He'd been so cold to her lately. In fact, he'd been so cold to everyone; even Stan. He had to find a way to make things right. Perhaps he should just come clean?

No. Stan would never forgive him. He would surely have to go live somewhere else. High school was almost over…maybe he could just get through the rest of the year and run off with Wendy. Given some time and space, well, maybe it would help with the shock of things and lessen the blow?

"That's it…" he whispered to himself, desperately yanking his phone out of his pocket and dialing Wendy's number.

"_Hello?" _her familiar voice greeted. Despite the trouble they'd been having she always sounded happy to hear from him.

"I've figured it out. Meet me at Clyde's."

…

"I just don't get it, you know?" Cartman asked, actually somewhat enjoying the small comfort of Kyle's company. The two of them had started to hang out more since Cartman had so much free time on his hands and Kyle was uncomfortable at Stan's house. His suspicions were making it difficult to spend time with the ever burdened best friend of his.

"Yeah, that's weird," Kyle agreed, genuinely listening to Cartman's relationship issues. It felt strange for the two of them to be hanging out as actual friends, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world.

"I think she's seeing Craig."

That got Kyle's immediate attention, his emerald eyes locking with Cartman's.

"Jeez, Jew…what is it?" he asked, realizing something was off.

"Why do you think that?" Kyle ignored, demanding answers.

Cartman, sensing the urgency of Kyle's situation, couldn't help but get defensive.

"I just do, okay? Jesus Christ you're such a fuckin' weirdo."

Kyle realized his reaction had been pretty severe and figured he might as well explain himself.

"Sorry…it's just that I've had my own suspicions about Craig."

This managed to arouse Cartman's interest, though he reacted far more calmly.

"Oh yeah, like what?"

Kyle looked around them, which irritated Cartman. No one was watching them. They were just hanging out in the woods alone for Christ's sake.

"Spit it out, Jew," Eric demanded, growing impatient.

"Alright, alright…you can't tell anyone though, okay? I'm serious!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cartman waved his hand at him, "I won't I pinky swear or whatever…just tell me!"

Kyle eyed Cartman for a moment, showing him he was serious about keeping his mouth shut. Eric could tell he meant business and decided it would behoove him to play nice.

"Okay…yes, I promise I won't tell anyone," he assured, locking their eyes to show his sincerity. This convinced him.

"Okay. Well…I'm not for sure on this, but I just have this gut feeling. I've noticed that Wendy and Craig seem to be texting at the same time and I feel like it's back and forth. It makes me feel like their talking about something they don't want the rest of us to know…and what wouldn't the rest of us want to know, huh?"

Cartman nodded his head, realizing where this was going.

"What about, like, disappearing? Do they both kind of go missing at the same time and stuff?"

Kyle nodded, "yeah. Sometimes Stan can't get a hold of Wendy for hours on end. Of course, that's who he's trying to get a hold of, but I'd be willing to bet if he tried to get Craig he'd miss him too. They're screwing around, Cartman, I'm telling you."

Cartman nodded, "sounds about right, Broflovski."

A calm silence settled between the two of them as Kyle realized the incredible relief he felt at getting that off his chest.

"Whew…I've been wanting to tell someone that for a long time," he admitted.

Cartman smiled at him, looking genuine. Kyle returned the sentiment, realizing what else this meant.

"So…you should feel better then. I doubt Craig is sleeping with Bebe."

Either that or he was screwing them both. It wasn't something he'd put past that asshole.

"Yeah…you're right," he said, not wanting to burden Kyle any further with his drama. For the moment, he was enjoying their time together. He decided to keep the rest to himself.

…

"You want to run off together? That's crazy! Where would we go?" Wendy demanded, trying her best to be the sane one. Sure, it sounded great, but realistically it was unheard of.

"I don't know…who cares? Let's just get the Hell out of here! We could just drop off the radar for, I dunno, like a year or two. Then, when we come back it will have been long enough. Stan will probably be with someone else, so even though he would probably be mad it wouldn't be this big, unforgivable betrayal!" Craig explained, his voice heightened with excitement.

Wendy bit her lower lip, hesitant of it all.

"You know, he's got a point," Clyde spoke up, "it might help smooth things over. How the Hell else are you guys going to work it? There's not really any other scenario where the two of you can actually be together."

Craig smiled at his old friend. It was really nice to have someone in his corner. Of course, Clyde had scolded him many-a-time for the dirty deed, but in the long run he always had his back. It was why they needed to be in each other's lives so badly.

Wendy continued to chew on her lower lip for a moment before looking at Craig and speaking cautiously.

"We'd wait until after graduation?"

Craig nodded in the affirmative, trying to offer her some solace.

She continued to bite.

"So we just have to keep this under wraps for a little while longer…"

Craig nodded once more, smiling at her. He watched joyously as she slowly stopped gnawing at her lip and formed a smirk.

"You know…this just may be crazy enough to work…"

Craig couldn't help it as he let out a cry of joy and hugged her, waving her back and forth in his arms. Clyde laughed, happy to see his best friend smiling and enjoying himself. It had been quite some time since he'd seen him like that, and for it, he was eternally grateful to Wendy.

"I love you," Craig said, kissing Wendy happily.

"I love you, too," she responded, a familiar light reignited in her lovely lavender eyes.


End file.
